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f  I055.H53 


HARVARD  COLLEGE 
LIBRARY 


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BOHN'S  ANTIQUARIAN   LIBRARY. 


Mj:  ©fir  4fttgIis(J)  Cftronirtafc 

ETHELWERD ASSESS    LIFE    OF    ALFRED- 
GEOFFREY     OF    MONMOUTH GILDAS NENNIUS- 

AND    RICHARD    OF    CIRENCESTER. 


// 


/*/Vl 


Mr 

«M&  Cngltafi  Chronicles, 

OF  WHICH  TWO  ABB 
BOW  FIRST  TRANSLATED  FROM  THE  MONKISH  LATIN  ORIGINALS. 


ETHEIWERD'S    CHRONICLE. 

ASSER'S  LIFE  OF  ALFRED. 

GEOFFREY  OF  MONMOUTH'S   BRITISH   HISTORY. 

GILDAS.     NENNIUS. 

AND 

BICHARD     OF    CIRENCESTER. 


EDITED,    WITH    ILLUSTRATIVE    NOTES, 

BY  J.  A.  GILES,  D.C.L.. 

LATA  V ALLOW  OF  CORPUS  CHRI8TI  COLLEGE,  OXFORD. 


LONDON: 
HENRY  G.   BOHN,  YORK  STREET,  COVENT  GARDEN. 

M.DCCCXLVIII. 

/   3  . 


i  -■    V 


HARVARD  COLLEGE  LIBRARY 

APPROPRIATION 

FOR  DUPLICATE  BOOKS 


,&>' 
^ 


EDITOR'S    PREFACE. 


Op  the  present  volume  it  will  be  sufficient  to  inform  the 
reader  that  it  contains  Six  Chronicles,  all  relating  to  the 
history  of  this  country  before  the  Norman  Conquest,  and 
all  of  essential  importance  to  those  who  like  to  study  history 
in  the  very  words  of  contemporary  writers. 
We  will  at  once  proceed  to  enumerate  them  severally. 

Chap.  I_ETHELWERD'S  CHRONICLE. 

The  short  chronicle,  which  passes  under  the  name  of 
Ethelwerd,  contains  few  facts  which  are  not  found  in  the 
Saxon  Chronicle  its  precursor.  Of  the  author  we  know  no 
more  than  he  has  told  us  invhis  work.  "  Malmesbury  calls 
him  '  noble  and  magnificent'  with  reference  to  his  rank  ;  for 
he  was  descended  from  king  Alfred  :  but  he  forgets  his  pecu- 
liar praise — that  of  being  the  only  Latin  historian  for  two 
centuries  ;  though,  like  Xenophon,  CaBsar,  and  Alfred,  he 
wielded  the  sword  as  much  as  the  pen."* 

Ethelwerd  dedicated  his  work  to,  and  indeed  wrote  it  for 
the  use  of  his  relation  Matilda,  daughter  of  Otho  the  Great, 
emperor  of  Germany,  by  his  first  empress  Edgitha  or 
Editha ;  who  is  mentioned  in  the  Saxon  Chronicle,  a.d. 
925,  though  not  by  name,  as  given  to  Otho  by  her  brother, 
king  Athelstan.  Ethelwerd  adds,  in  his  epistle  to  Matilda, 
that  Athelstan  sent  two  sisters,  in  order  that  the  emperor 
might  take  his  choice  ;  and  that  he  preferred  the  mother  of 
Matilda. 

The  chronology  of  Ethelwerd  is  occasionally  a  year  or  two 
at   variance  with  other  authorities.      The   reader   will   be 

*  Ingram,  p.  viii.  note. 
0 


VI  PREFACE. 

guided  in  reckoning  the  dates,  not  by  the  heading  of  each 
paragraph,  a.d.  891,  975,  &c,  but  by  the  actual  words  of  the 
author  inserted  in  the  body  of  the  text. 

I  have  translated  this  short  chronicle  from  the  original 
text  as  well  as  I  was  able,  and  as  closely  as  could  be  to  the 
author's  text ;  but  I  am  by  no  means  certain  of  having  always 
succeeded  in  hitting  on  his  true  meaning,  for  such  is  the  ex- 
traordinary barbarism  of  the  style,  that  I  believe  many  an 
ancient  Latin  classic,  if  he  could  rise  from  his  grave,  would 
attempt  in  vain  to  interpret  it. 


Chap.  II.—ASSER'S  LIFE  OF  ALFRED. 

This  work  is  ascribed,  on  its  own  internal  authority,  to 
Asser,  who  is  said  to  have  been  bishop  of  St.  David's, 
of  Sherborne  or  of  Exeter,  in  the  time  of  king  Alfred. 
Though  most  of  the  public  events  recorded  in  this  book 
are  to  be  found  in  the  Saxon  Chronicle,  yet  for  many 
interesting  circumstances  in  the  life  of  our  great  Saxon 
king  we  are  indebted  to  this  biography  alone.  But,  as  if  no 
part  of  history  is  ever  to  be  free  from  suspicion,  or  from 
difficulty,  a  doubt  has  been  raised  concerning  the  authenticity 
of  this  work.*  There  is  also  another  short  treatise  called  the 
Annals  of  Asser,  or  the  Chronicle  of  St.  Neot,  different  from 
the  present :  it  is  published  in  voL  iii.  of  Gale  and  Fell's 
Collection  of  Historians.  And  it  has  been  suspected  by  a 
living  writer  that  both  of  these  works  are  to  be  looked  upon 
as  compilations  of  a  later  date.  The  arguments  upon  which 
this  opinion  is  founded  are  drawn  principally  from  the  ab- 
rupt and  incoherent  character  of-  the  work  before  us.  But 
we  have  neither  time  nor  space  to  enter  further  into  this 
question.  As  the  work  has  been  edited  by  Petrie,  so  has  it 
been  here  translated,  and  the  reader,  taking  it  upon  its  own 
merits,  will  find  therein  much  of  interest  about  our  glorious 
king,  concerning  whom  he  will  lament  with  me  that  all  we 
know  is  so  little,  so  unsatisfying. 

•  See  Wright's  Biographia  Literaria  Anglo-Saxonica,  p.  405.  Dr.  Lin- 
gard,  however,  in  his  recent  work  on  the  History  and  Antiquities  of  the 
Anglo-Saxon  Church,  vol.  ii.  pp.  424 — 428,  has  replied  to  Mr.  Wright's 
objections,  and  vindicated  the  authenticity  of  Asser 's  Life. 


PREFACE.  vii 

Chap.  III.— GILDAS. 

Of  Gildas,  the  supposed  author  of  the  third  work  con- 
tained in  this  volume,  little  or  nothing  is  known.  Mr.  Ste- 
venson, in  the  preface  to  his  edition  of  the  original  Latin, 
lately  published  by  the  English  Historical  Society,  says  : 
/  "  We  are  unable  to  speak  with  certainty  as  to  his  parentage, 
\  his  country,  or  even  his  name,  the  period  when  he  lived,  or 
( the  works  of  which  he  was  the  author."  Such  a  statement 
is  surely  sufficient  to  excuse  us  at  present  from  saying  more 
on  the  subject,  than  that  he  is  supposed  to  have  lived,  and  to 
have  written  what  remains  under  his  name,  during  some  part 
of  the  sixth  century.  There  are  two  legends*  of  the  life  of 
St.  Gildas,  as  he  is  termed,  but  both  of  them  abound  with 
such  absurdities  that  they  scarcely  deserve  to  be  noticed  in 
a  serious  history.  Of  the  present  translation,  the  first  or 
historic  half  is  entirely  new  ;  in  the  rest,  consisting  almost 
entirely  of  texts  from  Scripture,  the  translator  has  thought  it 
quite  sufficient  to  follow  the  old  translation  of  Habington, 
correcting  whatever  errors  he  could  detect,  and  in  some 
degree  relieving  the  quaint  and  obsolete  character  of  the 
language.  It  has  been  remarked  by  Polydore  Virgil,  that 
Gildas  quotes  no  other  book  but  the  Bible  ;  and  it  may  be 
added,  that  his  quotations  are  in  other  words  than  those  of 
the  Vulgate  or  common  authorized  translation.  The  title  of 
the  old  translation  is  as  follows :  "  The  Epistle  of  Gildas  the 
most  ancient  British  Author  :  who  flourished  in  the  yeere 
of  our  Lord,  546.  And  who  by  his  great  erudition,  sanc- 
titie,  and  wisdome,  acquired  the  name  of  Sapiens.  Faithfully 
translated  out  of  the  originall  Latine."   London,  12mo.  1638. 

Chap.  IV.— NENNIUS. 

The  History  of  the  Britons,  which  occupies  the  fourth 
place  in  this  volume  is  generally  ascribed  to  Nennius,  but 
so  little  is  known  about  the  author,  that  we  have  hardly  any 
information  handed  down  to  us  respecting  him  except  tins 
mention  of  his  name.  It  is  also  far  from  certain  at  what 
period  the  history  was  written,  and  the  difference  is  no  less 
than  a  period  of  two   hundred  years,    some   assigning   the 

•  Both  these  works  are  given   in  the  appendix  to  the  editor's  "  History 
of  the  Ancient  Britoni.** 


Till  PREFACE. 

work  to  seven  hundred  and  ninety-six,  and  others  to  nine 
hundred  and  ninety-four.  The  recent  inquiries  of  Mr. 
Stevenson,  to  be  found  in  the  Preface  to  his  new  edition  of 
the  original  Latin,  render  it  unnecessary  at  present  to  delay 
the  reader's  attention  from  the  work  itself.  The  present  trans- 
lation is  substantially  that  of  the  Eev.  W.  Gunn,  published 
with  the  Latin  original  in  1819,  under  the  following  title  : 
"  The  '  Historia  Britonum,'  commonly  attributed  to  Nennius ; 
from  a  manuscript  lately  discovered  in  the  library  of  the 
Vatican  Palace  at  Rome :  edited  in  the  tenth  century,  by 
Mark  the  Hermit  ;  with  an  English  version,  fac-simile  of  the 
original,  notes  and  illustrations."  The  kindness  of  that  gentle- 
man has  enabled  the  present  editor  to  reprint  the  whole,  with 
only  a  few  corrections  of  slight  errata,  which  inadvertency 
alone  had  occasioned,  together  with  the  two  prologues  and 
several  pages  of  genealogies,  which  did  not  occur  in  the 
MS.  used  by  that  gentleman. 

Chap.  V.— GEOFFREY  OF  MONMOUTH. 

Geoffrey,  surnamed  of  Monmouth,  is  celebrated  in  English 
literature  as  the  author,  or  at  least  the  translator,  of  Historia 
Britonum,  a  work  from  which  nearly  all  our  great  vernacu- 
lar poets  have  drawn  the  materials  for  some  of  their  noblest 
works  of  fiction  and  characters  of  romance.  He  lived  in 
the  early  part  of  the  twelfth  century,  and  in  the  year  1152s 
was  raised  to  the  bishopric  of  St.  Asaph. 

The  first  of  his  writings,  in  point  of  time,  was  a  Latin 
translation  of  the  Prophecies  of  Merlin,  which  he  undertook 
at  the  request  of  Alexander  bishop  of  Lincoln.  His  next 
work  was  that  on  which  his  fame  principally  rests,  the  His- 
toria Britonum,  dedicated  to  Robert,  duke  of  Gloucester, 
who  died  in  1147.  Into  this  second  work  he  inserted  the 
Latin  translation  above-mentioned,  which  now  appears  as 
the  seventh  book  of  Historia  Britonum.  A  third  composi- 
tion has  also  been  ascribed  to  Geoffrey,  entitled  Vita  Merlini, 
in  Latin  hexameter  verse  :  but  the  internal  evidence  which  it 
affords,  plainly  proves  that  it  is  the  work  of  a  different  author. 

Although  the  list  of  our  Chroniclers  may  be  considered 
as  complete,  without  the  addition  of  this  work,  yet  we 
have  thought  it  worthy  of  a  place  in  our  series  for  many 
reasons.     It  is  not  for  historical  accuracy  that  the  book  be- 


PREFACE.  IX 

fore  us  is  valuable  ;  for  the  great  mass  of  scholars  have  come 
to  the  decided  conviction  that  it  is  full  of  fables.  But  it  is 
the  romantic  character  which  pervades  the  narrative,  together 
with  its  acknowledged  antiquity,  which  make  it  desirable 
that  the  book  should  not  sink  into  oblivion.  Those  who 
desire  to  possess  it  as  a  venerable  relic  of  an  early  age,  will  now 
have  an  opportunity  of  gratifying  their  wish  ;  whilst  others, 
who  despise  it  as  valueless,  in  their  researches  after  historic 
truth,  may,  nevertheless,  find  some  little  pleasure  in  the  tales 
of  imagination  which  it  contains. 

The  value  of  this  work  is  best  evinced  by  the  attention 
which  was  paid  to  it  for  many  centuries  ;  Henry  of  Hunt- 
ingdon made  an  abstract  of  it,  which  he  subjoined  as  an 
appendix  to  his  history:  and  Alfred  of  Beverley,  a  later 
writer,  in  his  abridgment  of  this  work  which  still  exists, 
has  omitted  Geoffrey's  name,  though  he  calls  the  author  of 
the  original,  Britannicus. 

An  English  translation  of  the  work  was  first  published  by 
Aaron  Thompson,  of  Queen's  College,  Oxford,  [8vo.  Lond. 
1718,]  and  lately  revised  and  reprinted  by  the  editor  of  this 
volume.  [8vo.  Lond.  1842.]  A  long  preface  is  prefixed  to 
that  translation,  wherein  the  author  endeavoured  to  prove 
Geoffrey  of  Monmouth  to  be  a  more  faithful  historian  than 
he  is  generally  considered  to  be.  His  words  are  as  follow  : 
— "  I  am  not  unsensible  that  I  expose  myself  to  the  censures 
of  some  persons,  by  publishing  this  translation  of  a  book, 
which  they  think  had  better  been  suppressed  and  buried  in 
oblivion,  as  being  at  present  generally  exploded  for  a  ground- 
less and  fabulous  story,  such  as  our  modern  historians  think 
not  worthy  relating,  or  at  least  mention  with  contempt.  And 
though  it  is  true,  several  men,  and  those  of  learning  too, 
censure  this  book  who  have  but  little  considered  it,  and 
whose  studies  no  ways  qualify  them  to  judge  of  it ;  yet,  I 
own  this  consideration  has  for  a  long  time  deterred  me  from 
publishing  it :  and  I  should  not  at  last  have  been  able  to 
surmount  this  difficulty,  without  the  importunity  and  en- 
couragement of  others,  to  whom  I  owe  a  singular  regard.  I 
had  indeed  before  I  entered  upon  the  work  perused  the  prin- 
cipal writers  both  for  and  against  this  history,  the  effect  of 
which  upon  my  own  judgment,  as  to  the  swaying  it  to  the 
one  side  more  than  the  other,  was  but  very  small ;  and  I 


X  PREFACE. 

must  confess,  that  I  find  the  most  learned  antiquaries  the 
most  modest  in  their  opinions  concerning  it,  and  that  it  seems 
to  me  to  be  a  piece  of  great  rashness,  to  judge  peremptorily 
upon  a  matter,  whereof  at  this  great  distance  of  time  there 
are  no  competent  witnesses  on  either,  side.  At  least  I  can- 
not but  think  it  a  sufficient  apology  for  my  publishing  this 
book,  to  consider  only,  that  though  it  seems  to  suffer  under  a 
general  prejudice  at  present,  yet  it  has  not  long  done  so  ; 
but  that  upon  its  first  appearing  in  the  world,  it  met  with 
a  universal  approbation,  and  that  too,  from  those  who  had 
better  opportunities  of  examining  the  truth  of  it,  as  there 
were  then  more  monuments  extant,  and  the  traditions  more 
fresh  and  uncorrupted  concerning  the  ancient  British  affairs, 
than  any  critics  of  the  present  age  can  pretend  to ;  that  it 
had  no  adversary  before  William  of  Newburgh  about  the 
end  of  the  reign  of  BichardUie  First,  whose  virulent  invec- 
tive against  it,  we  are  told,  proceeded  from  a  revenge  he 
thought  he  owed  the  Welsh  for  an  affront  they  had  given 

->  him  ;  that  his  opposition  was  far  from  shaking  the  credit  of 
it  with  our  succeeding  historians,  who  have,  most  of  them, 
till  the  beginning  of  the  last  century,  confirmed  it  with  their 
testimonies,  and  copied  after  it,  as  often  as  they  had  occasion 

[_^  to  treat  of  the  same  affairs  :  that  its  authority  was  alleged  by 
king  Edward  the  First  and  all  the  nobility  of  the  kingdom, 
in  a  controversy  of  the  greatest  importance,  before  Boniface 
the  Eighth  ;  that  even  in  this  learned  age,  that  is  so  indus- 
trious to  detect  any  impostures,  which  through  the  credulity 
of  former  times  had  passed  upon  the  world,  the  arguments 
against  this  history  are  not  thought  so  convincing,  but  that 
several  men  of  equal  reputation  for  learning  and  judgment 
with  its  adversaries,  have  written  in  favour  of  it ;  that  very 
few  have  at  last  spoken  decisively  against  it,  or  absolutely 
condemned  it ;  and  that  it  is  still  most  frequently  quoted  by 
our  most  learned  historians  and  antiquaries.  All  these  con- 
siderations, I  say,  if  they  do  not  amount  to  an  apology  for  the 
history  itself,  show  at  least  that  it  deserves  to  be  better 
known  than  at  present  it  is  ;  which  is  sufficient  to  justify  my 
undertaking  the  publishing  of  it." 

It  is  unnecessary  in  the  present  day  to  prove  that  king 
Brute  is  a  shadowy  personage,  who  never  existed  but  in  the 
regions  of  romance  :  but  as  the  reader  may  justly  expect  to 


PREFACE.  Xi 

find  in  this  place  some  account  of  the  controversy  which  has 
existed  respecting  this  work,  the  following  remarks  will  not 
be  deemed  inappropriate.     There  seems  no  good  reason  fori 
supposing  that  Geoffrey  of  Monmouth  intended  to  deceive  I  / 
the  world  respecting  the  history  of  which  he  professed  to  be 
the  translator  ;  and  it  may  be  readily  conceived  that  he  did  j 
no    more  than  fulfil  the   task  which   he  had  undertaken, 
of  rendering  the  book  into  Latin  out  of  the  original  language. 
But  those  who,  even  as  late  as  the  beginning  of  the  last 
century,  supported  the   authenticity  of  the  history,   have 
grounded  their  opinions  on  such  arguments  as  the  following : —      . , 

'  j^  That,  upon  its  first  appearance  in  the  world",  the  book  •* 
toet  with  universal  approbation,  and  that  too  from  those  who 
had  better  opportunities  of  examining  the  truth  of  it,  as 
there  were  then  more  monuments  extant,  and  the  traditions 
were  more  fresh  and  uncorrupted,  concerning  the  ancient 
British  affairs,  than  any  critics  of  the  present  age  can  pre- 
tend to. 

2,  That  except  William  of  Newburgh,  about  the  end  of 
the  reign  of  Richard  I,  it  met  with  no  opponents  even  down 
to  the  seventeenth  century,  but  was,  on  the  contrary,  quoted 
by  all,  in  particular  by  Edward  I,  in  a  controversy  before      I 
Boniface  the  Eighth.  j 

JJJ That  we  see  in  this  history  the  traces  of  venerable—^ 
antiquity. 

4.  That  the  story  of  Brute,  and  the  descent  of  the  Britons 
from  the  Trojans,  was  universally  allowed  by  Giraldus  Cam- 
brensis  and  others,  and  was  opposed  for  the  first  time  by 
John  of  Wethamstede,  [Nicolson's  Eng.  Hist.  Lit.  2nd  ed. 
p.  1,  c.  v.]  who  lived  in  the  15th  century :  that  Polydore 
Virgil's  contempt  for  it  proceeded  from  his  wish  to  preserve 
unimpaired  the  glory  of  the  Eomans,  and  Buchanan's  observ- 
ations betray  his  ignorance  of  the  story. 

5.  That  Leland,  who  lived  under  Henry  the  Eighth, 
Humphrey  Lhwyd,  Sir  John  Price,  Dr.  Caius,  Dr.  Powel, 
and  others,  have  supported  the  story  of  Brute,  etc. 

Such  arguments  may  have  satisfied  the  credulous  students 
of  the  seventeenth  century,  but  the  more  enlightened  criti- 
cism of  the  present  day  will  no  longer  listen  to  them.     It 
may  not,  however,  be  uninteresting  to  hear  the  account  which         t 
Thompson,  the  English  translator  gives  of  this  work,  which,       4 


Xll  PREFACE. 

in  his  own  words,  and  with  his  additional  remarks  upon  it, 
is  as  follows  : — "  The  story,  as  collected  from  himself,  Leland, 
Bale,  and  Pitts,  is  that  Walter  Mapes,  alias  Calenius,  arch- 
deacon of  Oxford,  who  flourished  in  the  reign  of  Henry  I, 
and  of  whom  Henry  of  Huntingdon,  and  other  historians  as 
well  as  Geoffrey  himself,  make  honourable  mention,  being  a 
man  very  curious  in  the  study  of  antiquity,  and  a  diligent 
searcher  into  ancient  libraries,  and  especially  after  the  works 
of  ancient  authors,  happened  while  he  was  in  Armorica  to 
light  upon  a  History  of  Britain,  written  in  the  British 
tongue,  and  carrying  marks  of  great  antiquity.  And  being 
overjoyed  at  it,  as  if  he  had  found  a  vast  treasure,  he  in  a 
short  time  after  came  over  to  England  ;  where  inquiring  for  a 
proper  person  to  translate  this  curious  but  hitherto  unknown 
book,  he  very  opportunely  met  with  Geoffrey  of  Monmouth, 
a  man  profoundly  versed  in  the  history  and  antiquities  of 
Britain,  excellently  skilled  in  the  British  tongue,  and  withal 
(considering  the  time,)  an  elegant  writer  both  in  verse  and 
prose  ;  and  so  recommended  this  task  to  him.  Accordingly, 
Geoffrey,  being  incredibly  delighted  with  this  ancient  book, 
undertook  the  translating  of  it  into  Latin,  which  he  performed, 
with  great  diligence,  approving  himself,  according  to  Matthew 
Paris,  a  faithful  translator.  At  first  he  divided  it  into  four 
books,  written  in  a  plain  simple  style,  and  dedicated  it  to 
Eobert,  earl  of  Gloucester,  a  copy  whereof  is  said*  to  be  at 
Bennet  College,  in  Cambridge,  which  was  never  yet  pub- 
lished ;  but  afterwards  he  made  some  alterations  and  divided 
it  into  eight  books,  to  which  he  added  the  book  of  Merlin's 
Prophecies,  which  he  had  also  translated  from  British  verse 
into  Latin  prose,  prefixing  to  it  a  preface,  and  a  letter 
to  Alexander,  bishop  of  Lincoln.  A  great  many  fabulous 
and  trifling  stories  are  inserted  in  the  history  :  but  that  was 
not  his  fault ;  his  business  as  a  translator  was  to  deliver 
them  faithfully  such  as  they  were,  and  leave  them  to  the 
judgment  of  the  learned  to  be  discussed. 

"  To  prove  the  truth  of  this  relation,  and  to  answer  at 
once  all  objections  against  Geoffrey's  integrity,  one  needs  no 
other  argument  than,  an  assurance  that  the  original  manuscript 
which  Geoffrey  translated,  of  whose  antiquity  the  curious 
are  able  to  judge  in  a  great  measure  by  the  character,  or  any 
•  See  Pitts  and  Voss. 


PREFACE.  Xiii 

ancient  and  authentic  copy  of  it,  is  yet  extant.  And  in- 
deed, archbishop  Usher*  mentions  an  old  Welsh  Chronicle 
in  the  Cottonian  Library,  that  formerly  was  in  the  possession 
of  that  learned  antiquary,  Humphrey  Lhwyd,  which  he  says 
is  thought  to  be  that  which  Goffrey  translated.  But  if  that 
be  the  original  manuscript,  it  must  be  acknowledged  that 
Geoffrey  was  not  merely  a  translator,  but  made  some  addi- 
tions of  his  own  :  since,  as  that  most  learned  prelate  informs 
us,  the  account  that  we  have  in  this  History  of  the  British 
Flamens,  and  Archflamens,  is  nowhere  to  be  found  in  it. 
But  besides  this,  there  are  several  copies  of  it  in  the  Welsh 
tongue,  mentioned  by  the  late  ingenious  and  learned  Mr. 
Lhwyd  in  his  *  Archaeologia  Britannica.'  And  I  myself 
have  met  with  a  manuscript  history  of  our  British  affairs, 
written  above  a  hundred  years  ago  by  Mr.  John  Lewis,  and 
shortly  to  be  published,  wherein  the  author  says,  that  he  had 
the  original  of  the  British  History  in  parchment  written  in 
the  British  tongue  before  Geoffrey's  time,  as  he  concludes 
from  this  circumstance,  that  in  his  book  Geoffrey's  preface  was 
wanting,  and  the  preface  to  his  book  was  the  second  chapter 
of  that  published  by  Geoffrey.  My  ignorance  of  the  Welsh . 
tongue  renders  me  unqualified  for  making  any  search  into 
these  matters ;  and  though  the  search  should  be  attended  with 
never  so  much  satisfaction,  to  those  who  are  able  to  judge  of 
the  antiquity  of  manuscripts,  yet  to  the  generality  of  readers, 
other  arguments  would  perhaps  be  more  convincing." 

The  passages  which  we  have  here  quoted  at  length,  will 
give  the  reader  the  most  ample  information  concerning  the 
nature  of  the  question,  and  it  only  remains  to  inform  the 
reader  what  is  my  own  opinion  on  this  long-agitated  literary 
controversy. 

To  those  who  have  read  the  plain  and  simple  statements 
of  Julius  Caesar  and  the  other  classic  historians  who  have 
described  the  early  state  of  Britain,  it  will  be  morally  certain 
that  all  such  accounts  as  we  have  in  Geoffrey  of  Monmouth 
are  purely  fabulous.  The  uncertainty  of  every  thing,  save 
the  bare  fact,  connected  with  the  siege  of  Troy,  is  so  great, 
that  to  connect  its  fortunes  with  those  of  a  distant  and  at 
that  time  unheard-of  island  like  Britain,  can  be  admissible 
only  in  the  pages  of  romance.  But  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
*  Brit.  Eccl.  Frim.  cap.  5. 


XIV  PREFACE. 

work  which  contains  the  history  of  Britain,  during  its  con- 
quest by  the  Saxons,  we  may  possibly  find  the  germs  of 
facts  unnoticed  elsewhere. 

This  view  does  not  militate  against  the  veracity  of  Geoffrey, 
who  professes  to  have  translated  from  an  original  in  the 
British  language,  but  whether  any  manuscript  copy  of  this 
original  now  exists,  is  a  point  which  has  not  been  satisfac- 
torily ascertained.  In  1811,  the  Rev.  Peter  Roberts  pub- 
lished the  Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  Britain,  translated  from 
Welsh  manuscripts,  and  being  in  substance  almost  identically 
the  same  as  Geoffrey's  History  of  the  Britons, — but  it  is  most 
likely  that  these  Welsh  MSS.,  which  are  all  comparatively 
modern,  are  themselves  re-translations  from  the  Latin  of 
Geoffrey. 

If  no  other  arguments  could  be  adduced  to  prove  the  utter 
incredibility  of  the  earlier  parts  of  this  history,  the  following 
Chronological  Table  would  furnish  quite  sufficient  arguments 
to  establish  it,  by  the  extraordinary  anachronisms  which  it  con- 
tains. For  instance,  between  the  reigns  of  Brutus  and  Leil,  is 
an  interval  of  156  years  ;  and  yet  Geoffrey  makes  the  capture 
of  the  ark  contemporaneous  with  the  reign  of  Brutus,  and 
the  building  of  Solomon's  temple  with  that  of  Leil.  Now 
the  interval  between  these  two  events  cannot  by  any  possi- 
bility be  extended  beyond  eighty  years.  It  is,  moreover, 
impossible  to  bring  the  chronology  of  the  British  kings  them- 
selves into  harmony  with  the  dates  before  Christ,  as  there 
is  no  mention  made  of  the  exact  interval  between  the  taking 
of  Troy  and  Brutus's  landing  in  Britain. 

Geoffrey  inscribes  his  work  to  Robert,  earl  of  Gloucester, 
son  of  Henry  the  Second. 

GENEALOGICAL   SUMMARY. 
Latinus 

' — RN 

"Zi  JSneas  —  Lavinia        ( ) 

Ascanius 

Sylvius  =        (Niece  of  Lavinia).  I.  3. 

Pandrasus 


Ignoge  —  1.  Brutus  at  the  age  of  15  kills  his  father.  (I.  3.)  Reigns  twenty- 

I  four  years.    (II.  1.) 

At  this  time  Eli  governed  Israel,  and  the  ark  was  taken  by 


PREFACE.  XY 

the  Philistines,  and  the  sons  of  Hector  reigned  in  Troy, 
and  Sylvius  ^Eneas,  uncle  of  Brutus,  in  Italy.    (I.  17.) 


^ ;  x 

Corinaeus        Albanact  Kamber  II.  1. 

2.  Locrin  zz  3.  Guendokena  (  Locrin  by  Estrilda  has  Sabre,  who  being 
r.  lOyre.  I  15  years.  <      drowned  in  the  Severn,  gives  name  to 

I  (     that  river. 

4.  Maddan.  II.  6.  {  At  this  time  Samuel  governed  Israel,  and 

40  yrs.  I      Homer  flourished. 


/■ "X 

5.  Mempricius  Malim  C  Saul  reigns  in  Judaea,  Eurystheus  in  Lace- 

20  yrs.  I     daemon. 

6.  Ebraucus  (  Kbg  Da^^jjy^,,,  Latinus— Gad— Na- 

/M«n  ^I8*      tt  t   o\  I     than  and  Asaph, 

(or  60,  quaere,  II.  7,  8)  (  r 

7.  Brutus  II.,  12  yrs.  and  19  other  sons  and  30  daughters,  II.  8. 

8.  Leil  i  Solomon — Queen  of  Sheba — Sylvius  Epi- 
-  25  yrs.  I      tus. 

9.  Hudibras  Capys — Haggai — Amos — Joel — Azariah. 

39  yrs. 

10.  Bladud  Elijah. 

20  yrs.  II.  10. 

11.  Lew 

60  yrs.  II.  11. 


liGonorillazrMaglaunus,  Regan  zz  Henuinus,  Cordeillazz  Agamppus, 


5  yrs.       |         D.  of 
Albania. 


D.  of  K.of 

Cornwall.  Gaul. 


Margan  13.  Cunedagius  J  Isaiah — Hosea — Rome  built 

33  yrs.  {     by  Romulus  and  Remus. 

14.  Rivallo 
I 


15.  Gurgustius        ( ) 

i  i 

16.  Sisilius         17-  Jago 


XVI 


PREFACE. 


I 

18.  Kinmarcus 

19.  Gorbogudo  zz  Widen 


Ferrex 
Long  civil  ware. 


Porrex 


At  length  arose  Dunwallo  Molmutius,  son  of  Cloten,  king  of 
Cornwall.  II.  17. 

20.  Dunwallo  Molmutius  —  Conwenna 
40yrs.  I 


f " 

21.  Belinus 

5  yrs.  in  concert  with  Brennius. 

I 

22.  Gurgiunt  Brabtruc.  III.  11. 

23.  Guithelin  =  Martia 

24.  Sisillius 


Brennius 


25.  Kimarus 


26.  Danius  =  Tangustela 
I 


27.  Morvidus 


28.  Gorbonian    29.  Arthgallo     30.  Elidure     31 .  Vigenius    32.  Peredure 

Arthgallo  was  deposed  in  favour  of  Elidure,  who,  after  a 
reign  of  five  years,  restored  his  brother,  who  reigned  10 
years  afterwards.  Elidure  then  reigned  a  second  time, 
but  was  deposed  by  Vigenius  and  Peredure  :  after  whose 
deaths vhe  reigned  a  third  time. 
33.  Gorbonian's  •• 


xm.HI.  !9- 


34.  Margan 


40.  Coillus 


35.  Enniaunus 

38.  Geruntius 

39.  Catellus 
41.  Porrex 


.  Idwallo    37*  Runno 


42.  Cherin 


43.  Fulgenius 


44.  Eldadus 


I 

45.  Andragius 

46.  Urianus 


PREFACE.  XVli 

47.  Eliud     48.  Cledaucus     49.  Cletonus     50.  Gurgintius     51.  Merianus 
52.  Bleduno        53.  Cap         54.  Oenus        55.  Sisillius 


56,  Blegabred  57.  Arthmail 

58.  Eldol     59.  Redion    60.  Rederchius    61.  Samuilpenissel    62.  Pir 

63.  Capoir  III.  19. 

64.  Cligueillus 

64.  Heli 


66.  Lud.  III.  20     67.  Cassibellaun  Nennius 

Csesar's  invasion  took  place  during  Cassibellaun's  reign. 


68.  Tenuantius 

)  (  Jesus  Christ  is  born  in  the 

69.  Kymbelinus    <      reign  of  Kymbelinus  or 
(      Cymbeline. 

Claudius 


70.  Guiderius  71 .  Arviragus  zz  Genuissa 

72.  Marius 

73.  Coillus 

74.  Lucius  IV.  19. 
Lucius  embraces  Christianity :  he  dies,  a.d.  156. 

75.  Severus 

76.  Bassianus  or  Caracalla 
77.  Carausius,  V.  3.        78.  Allectus 

79.  Asclepiodotus  80.  Coel 

I 
Helena  zz.  81  Constantius 
r.  11  yrs. 


82.  Constantine,  emperor  of  Rome. 
83.  Octavius  assumes  the  crown  of  Britain. 
(Daughter)  =  84.  Maximian,  V.  11. 


XV111  PEEFACE. 

85.  Gratian  Municeps 

At  this  time  the  Picts  and  Scots  harass  the  Britons,  who  apply  to  the 
Romans. 

86.  Constantine,  prince  of  Armorica,  comes  to  assist  the  Britons 

i 


i  i 

87.  Constans    89.  Aurelius  Ambrosius    90.  Utherpendragon  zz  Igerna 


VIII.  2.  VIII.  17. 

88.  Vortigern  usurps  the  throne  (VI.  9)  and  calls  in  the 
Saxons. 


VIII.  19. 


90.  Arthur  IX.  1.         Anne 
King  Arthur  dies,  a.d.  542  (XI.  3.) 
92.  Constantine    93.  Aurelius  Conan     94.  Wortiporius     95.  Malgo 
96.  Careticus        97.  Cadwan 


Peanda  (sister)  zz   98.  Cadwallo 

99.  Cadwallader 

Cadwallader  goes  to  Rome,  where  he  i3  confirmed  in  the  faith  of  Christ  by 
pope  Sergius,  and  dies  a.  d.  689. 


Chap.  VI.— RICHARD  OF  CIRENCESTER. 

Richard,  surnamed  from  his  birth-place  Richard  of  Ciren- 
cester, flourished  from  the  middle  to  the  latter  end  of  the 
fourteenth  century.  No  traces  of  his  family  or  connections 
can  be  discovered  ;  though  they  were  at  least  of  respectable 
condition,  for  he  received  an  education  which  in  his  time  was 
far  beyond  the  attainment  of  the  inferior  ranks  of  society. 
In  1350  he  entered  into  the  Benedictine  monastery  of  St. 
Peter,  Westminster,  during  the  abbacy  of  Nicholas  de  Lytling- 
toM,  as  appears  from  the  rolls  of  the  abbey ;  and  his  name 
occurs  In  various  documents  of  that  establishment  in  the 
years  1387,  1397,  and  1399. 

He  devoted  his  leisure  hours  to  the  study  of  British  and 
Anglo-Saxon  history  and  antiquities,  in  which  he  made  such 
proficiency  that  he  is  said  to  have  been?  honoured  with  the 
name  of  the  Historiographer.      Pitts  informs  us,   without 


PREFACE.  XIX 

specifying  his  authority,  that  Richard  visited  different  libra- 
ries and  ecclesiastical  establishments  in  England  in  order  to 
collect  materials.  It  is  at  least  certain  that  he,  obtained  a 
licence  to  visit  Rome,  from  his  abbat,  William  of  Colchester, 
in  1391  ;  and  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  a  man  of  so  in- 
dustrious, observant,  and  sagacious  a  character  profited  by 
this  journey  to  extend  his  historical  and  antiquarian  know- 
ledge, and  to  augment  his  collections.  This  license  is  given 
by  Stukeley  from  the  communication  of  Mr.  Widmore,  libra- 
rian of  Westminster,  and  bears  honourable  testimony  to  the 
morals  and  piety  of  our  author,  and  his  regularity  in  per- 
forming the  discipline  of  his  order.  He  probably  performed 
this  journey  in  the  interval  between  1391  and  1397,  for  he 
appears  to  have  been  confined  in  the  abbey  infirmary  in 
1401,  and  died  in  that  or  the  following  year.  His  remains 
were  doubtlessly  interred  in  the  cloisters  of  the  abbey,  but  we 
cannot  expect  to  find  any  memorial  of  a  simple  monk.  We 
have  abundant  cause  to  regret  that  he  was  restrained  in  the 
pursuit  of  his  favourite  studies,  by  the  authority  of  his  abbat. 
In  the  seventh  chapter  of  his  first  book  he  enters  into  a 
spirited  justification  of  himself,  but  from  the  preface  to  his 
chronology  he  appears  to  have  found  it  necessary  to  submit 
his  better  judgment  to  the  will  of  his  superior.  His  works 
wre—Historia  ab  Hengisto  ad  Ann.  1348,  in  two  parts. 
The  first  contains  the  period  from  the  coming  of  the  Saxons 
to  the  death  of  Harold,  and  is  preserved  in  the  public  library 
of  the  University  of  Cambridge,  Ff.  i.  28.  Whitaker,  the 
historian  of  Manchester,  thus  speaks  of  it : — "  The  hope  of 
meeting  with  discoveries  as  great  in  the  Roman,  British, 
and  Saxon  history  as  he  has  given  us  concerning  the  pre- 
ceding period,  induced  me  to  examine  the  work.  But  my 
expectations  were  greatly  disappointed.  The  learned  scholar 
and  the  deep  antiquarian  I  found  sunk  into  an  ignorant 
novice,  sometimes  the  copier  of  Huntingdon,  but  generally 
the  transcriber  of  Geoffrey.  Deprived  of  his  Roman  guides, 
Richard  showed  himself  as  ignorant  and  as  injudicious  as 
any  of  his  illiterate  contemporaries  about  him."* 

The  second  part  is  probably  a  manuscript  contained  in  the 
library  of  the  Royal  Society,  p.  137,  with  the  title  of  Brito- 
num  Anglorum  et  Saxonum  Historia.     In  the  library  of 
•  Hist,  of  Manchester,  vol.  i.  p.  58.  4to. 


XX  PREFACE. 

Bennet  Coll.  Cambridge,  is  Epitome  Chron.  Ric.  Cor.  West. 
Lib.  I.  Other  works  of  our  author  are  supposed  to  be  pre- 
served in  the  Lambeth  Library,  and  at  Oxford. 

His  theological  writings  were — Tractatus  super  Symbo- 
lum  Majus  et  Minus,  and  Liber  de  Officiis  Ecclesiasticis. — In 
the  Peterborough  Library. 

But  the  treatise  to  which  Richard  owes  his  celebrity  is 
that  now  presented  to  the  reader.  Its  first  discoverer  was 
Charles  Julius  Bertram,  Professor  of  the  English  Language 
in  the  Royal  Marine  Academy  at  Copenhagen,  who  trans- 
mitted to  the  celebrated  antiquary,  Doctor  Stukeley,  a  tran- 
script of  the  whole  in  letters,  together  with  a  copy  of  the 
map.  From  this  transcript  Stukeley  published  an  analysis 
of  the  work,  with  the  Itinerary,  first  in  a  thin  quarto,  in 
1757,  and  afterwards  in  the  second  volume  of  his  Itinera- 
rium  Curiosum.  In  the  same  year  the  original  itself  was 
published  by  Professor  Bertram  at  Copenhagen,  in  a  small 
octavo  volume,  with  the  remains  of  Gildas  and  Nennius, 
under  this  title — Britannicarum  Gentium  Histories  An- 
tiques Scriptores  tres:  Ricardus  Corinensis,  Gildas  Bado- 
nicus,  Nennius  Banchorensis,  &c.  Of  this  treatise  Ber- 
tram thus  speaks  in  his  preface :  "  The  work  of  Richard 
of  Cirencester,  which  came  into  my  possession  in  an  extra- 
ordinary manner  with  many  other  curiosities,  is  not  entirely 
complete,  yet  its  author  is  not  to  be  classed  with  the  most 
inconsiderable  historians  of  the  middle  age.  It  contains 
many  fragments  of  a  better  time,  which  would  now  in  vain 
be  sought  for  elsewhere  ;  and  all  are  useful  to  the  antiquary 
*****  It  is  considered  by  Dr.  Stukeley,  and  those  who 
have  inspected  it,  as  a  jewel,  and  worthy  to  be  rescued 
from  destruction  by  the  press.  From  respect  for  him  I  have 
caused  it  to  be  printed." 

Of  the  map  Bertram  observes :  "  I  have  added  a  very 
antient  map  of  Roman  Britain,  skilfully  drawn  according  to 
the  accounts  of  the  ancients,  which  in  rarity  and  antiquity 
excels  the  rest  of  the  Commentary  of  Richard." 

This  map,  however,  as  no  longer  of  use  in  an  age  when 
so  much  light  has  been  thrown  on  its  subject,  has  been 
omitted. 


THE  CHRONICLE 


OP 


FABIUS  ETHELWEED, 

FBOM    THE    BEGINNING    OF    THE    WORLD    TO   THE    YEAR  OF 
OUR  LORD  975. 

IN  FOUR  BOOKS. 


To  Matilda,  the  most  eloquent  and  true  handmaid  of  Christ, 
Ethelwerd  the  patrician,  health  in  the  Lord  !  I  have  re- 
ceived, dearest  sister,  your  letter  which  I  longed  for,  and  I 
not  only  read  it  with  kisses,  but  laid  it  up  in  the  treasury  of 
my  heart.  Often  and  often  do  I  pray  the  grace  of  the  Most 
High,  to  preserve  you  in  safety  during  this  life  present,  and 
after  death  to  lead  you  to  his  everlasting  mansions.  But  as 
I  once  before  briefly  hinted  to  you  by  letter,  I  now,  with 
God's  help,  intend  to  begin  in  the  way  of  annals  from  the 
beginning  of  the  world,  and  explain  to  you  more  fully  about 
bur  common  lineage  and  descent,  to  the  end  that  the  reader's 
task  may  be  lightened,  and  the  pleasure  of  the  hearer  may 
be  augmented,  whilst  he  listens  to  it.  Concerning  the  coming 
of  our  fest  parents  out  of  Germany  into  Britain,  their  num- 
berless wars  and  slaughters,  and  the  dangers  which  they  en- 
countered on  ship-board  among  the  waves  of  the  oceanj  in 
the  following  pages  you  will  find  a  full  description.  In  the 
present  letter  therefore  I  have  written,  without  perplexity  of 
style,  of  our  modern  lineage  and  relationship,  who  were  our 
relations,  and  how,  and  where  they  came  from  :  as  far  as  our 
memory  can  go,  and  according  as  our  parents  taught  us.  For 
instance  king  Alfred  was  son  of  king  Ethelwulf,  from  whom 
we  derive  our  origin,  and  who  had  five  sons,  one  of  whom 
was  king  Ethelred*  my  ancestor,   and  another  king  Alfred 

•  Ethelred  died  and  Alfred  succeeded  him  a.  d.  871. 
B 


2  ETHELWERIXS   CHRONICLE.  [a.d.430. 

who  was  yours.  This  king  Alfred  sent  his  daughter  Ethels- 
witha  into  Germany  to  be  the  wife  of  Baldwin,*  who  had  by 
her  two  sons  Ethelwulf  and  Arnulf,  also  two  daughters  Els- 
wid  and  Armentruth.  Now  from  Ethelswitha  is  descended 
count  Arnulf,  f  your  neighbour.  The  daughter  of  king 
Edward  son  of  the  above  named  kiag  Alfred  was  named 
Edgiva,  and  was  sent  by  your  aunt  into  Gaul  to  marry 
Charles  the  Simple.  Ethilda  also  was  sent  to  be  the  wife  of 
Hugh,  son  of  Kobert :  and  two  others  were  sent  by  king 
Athelstan  to  Otho  that  he  might  choose  which  of  them  he 
liked  best  to  be  his  wife.  Hef  chose  Edgitha,  from  whom 
you  derive  your  lineage  ;  and  united  the  other  in  marriage 
to  a  certain  king§  near  the  Jupiterean  Mountains,  of  whose 
family  no  memorial  has  reached  us,  partly  from  the  distance 
and  partly  from  the  confusion  of  the  times.  It  is  your 
province  to  inform  us  of  these  particulars,  not  only  from  your 
relationship,  but  also  because  no  lack  of  ability  or  interval 
of  space  prevents  you.|| 

HEBE   ENDS   THE   PROLOGUE. 


BOOK  THE  FIRST  BEGINS. 

The  beginning  of  the  world  comes  first.  For  on  the  first 
day  God,  in  the  apparition  of  the  light,  created  the  angels  : 
on  the  second  day,  under  the  name  of  the  firmament  he 
created  the  heavens  ;  &c.  &C.H" 

Rome  was  destroyed  by  the  Goths  in  the  eleven  hundred 
and  forty-sixth  year  after  it  was  built.  From  that  time  the 
Roman  authority  ceased  in  the  island  of  Britain,  and  in 
many  other  countries  which  they  had  held  under  the  yoke  of 
slavery.     For  it  was  now  four  hundred  and  eighty-five  years, 

*  Baldwin,  count  of  Flanders  died  a.  d.  918.    See  Malmesbury,  p.  121. 

+  Arnulf,  count  of  Flanders,  a.  d.  965. 

X  The  emperor  Otho  married  Edgitha  a.  d.  930. 

§  Lewis  the  blind. 

||  The  writer  adds  the  barbarous  verse,  "  Esto  mihi  valens  cunctis  per- 
henniter  horis,"  which  is  as  easy  to  construe  as  to  scan. 

%  Here  follow  several  pages,  in  which  the  writer,  like  other  annalists, 
deduces  his  history  from  the  creation.  It  is  now  universally  the  custom 
with  modern  writers  and  translators  to  omit  such  preliminary  matter. 


a.0.449.]  THE  PICTS  AND   8C0TS.  3 

beginning  with  Caius  Julius  Caesar,  that  they  had  held  the 
island  above  mentioned,  wherein  they  had  built  cities  and 
castles,  bridges  and  streets  of  admirable  construction,  which 
are  seen  among  us  even  to  the  present  day.  But  whilst  the 
people  of  Britain  were  living  carelessly  within  the  wall,  * 
which  had  been  built  by  Severus  to  protect  them,  there  arose 
two  nations^thf?  Pifltfl  in  tho  inn  Hi  iiml  Ililj  flrwh  in  Urn  wftnt, 
and  leampga^army  against  th^rn,  devastated  their  country. 
and  inflicted  many  sufferings  upon  them  for  many  years. 
The  Britonsbeing  unable  to  bear  their  misery,  by  a  wise 

device  send  to  Rome  a  mournful  letter* pie  army 

returned  victorious  to  Rome.  But~the  Scots  ana1  Picts, 
hearing  that  the  hostile  army  was  gone,  rejoiced  with  no  little 
joy.  Again  the£  take  up  arms,  and  like  wolves  attack  the 
sheepfold  which  is  left  without  a  protector  :  they  devastate 
the  northern  districts  as  far  as  the  ditch  of  Severus  :  the 
Britons  man  the  wall  and  fortify  it  with  their  arms  ;  but 
fortune  denied  them  success  in  the  war.  The  cunning  Scots, 
knowing  what  to  do  against  the  high  wall  and  the  deep 
trench,  contrive  iron  goads  with  mechanical  art,  and  drag- 
ging down  those  who  were  standing  on  the  wall,  slay  them 
without  mercy  :  they  remain  victors  both  within  and  with- 
out ;  they  at  once  plunder  and  take  possession  ;  and  a 
slaughter  is  made  worse  than  all  that  had  been  before.  Thus 
ended  the  four  hundred  and  forty-fourth^vear  since  the  in- 
carnation oFour  Lord] 

The  Britons,  seeing  themselves  on  every  side  vanquished, 
and  that  they  could  have  no  more  hopes  from  Rome,  devise, 
in  their  agony  and  lamentations,  a  plan  to  adopt.  For  in 
those  daysthey  heard,  that  the  race of  Jthe ,  Faxons  _were 
adflve,  in""piratical  enterprises,  throughout  the  whole  coast, 
from  therrver  Rhine  ^o  the"I)amsh city,f  which"  is  now  com- 
monly aOIe^TJenmarE,  and  strong  in  all  matters  connected 
with  war.  They  therefore  send  to  them  messengers,  bearing 
gifts,  and  ask  assistance,  promising  tKein  their  affiance -when 
they  should  pe  at  peace.  But  tne^mfficTof  that  degraded 
face^wasliebased  by  ignorance,  and  they  saw  not  that  they 

*  There  is  evidently  a  hiatus  in  this  passage,  but  see  Bede  i.  13,  p.  22 

t  Urbs,  a  city,"  seems  here  rather  to  designate  country  or  territory. 

B  2 


4  BTHELWEBD'S   CHRONICLE.  Tad.  440. 

were  preparing  for  themselves  perpetual  slavery,  which  is 
the  stepmother  of  all  misfortune. 

The^person  who_  especially  gave  this  .iMUfigeLjwas  Jftirth- 
ernT^who  at  that  time  was  king  over  all,  and  to  him  all  the 
nobility  assented.     Thev  preferred  to  procure  assistancjB.  j£_ 
them  ftoju...  (rP-rTnflT1J:  [Already  two  young  men,  Hengist 
and  Horsa,  were  pre-eminent.     They  were  the  grandsons 
y4&  Woden,  king  of  the  barbarians,  whom  the  pagans  have 
since  raised  to  an  abominable  dignity,  and  honouring  him  as 
a  god,  offer  sacrifice  to  him  for  the  sake  of  victory  or  valour, 
and  the  people,  deceived,  believe  what  they  see,  as  is  their 
wont]  The  aforesaid  youths  therefore  arrive,  according  to 
the  petition  of  the  king  and  his  senate,  with  three_v_esaeja^ 
loaded  with  arms,  and  prepared  with  every  kind  of  warlike, 
stores  r^the  anchor  is  cast  into  the  sea,  and  the  ships  come  to 
land.  uSot  long  afterwards  they  are  sent  against  the  Scots 
to  try  their  mettle,  and  without  delay  they  sheathe  their 
breasts  in  arms,  and  engage  in  a  novel  mode  of  battle.  *  Man 
clashes  with  man,  now  falls  a  German  and  now  a  Scot :  on 
both  sides  is  a  most  wretched  scene  of  slaughter :  at  length 
the  Saxons  remain  masters  of  the  fieldT)  For  this  the  king 
aforesaid  honours  them  with  a  triumph ;  and  they  privately 
send  home  messengers,  to  tell  their  countrymen  of  the  fer- 
tility  of  the  country  and  the  indolence  of  its  cowardly  people* 
Their  countrymen,  without  delay,  listen  to  their  representa- 
tions, and  send  to  them  a  large  fleet  and  army.  ^Forthwith 
they  were  magnificently  received  by  the  king  of  the  Britons, 
and  contracted  a  league  of  hospitality  with  the  natives.    The 
Britons  promise  peace,  worthy  gifts  of  alliance  and  honours, 
provided  that  they  might  remain  in  ease  under  their  protec- 
tion from  the  attacks  of  their  enemies,  and  pay  them  im- 
mense stipen<JJ 

Thus  much  of  the  alliance  and  promises  of  the  Britons: 
now  let  us  speak  of  their  discord  and  ill  fortune.  For  seeing 
the  cunningness  of  the  new  people,  they  partly  feared  and 
partly  despised  them.  (They  break  their  compact,  and  no 
longer  render  them  the  honours  of  alliance,  but  instead 
thereof,  they  try  to  drive  them  from  their  shores)  These 
being  their  designs,  the  thing  is  made  public,  the"  treaty  is 
openly  set  aside,  all  parties  fly  to  arms:  the  Britons  give 
•  Otherwise  called  Vortigem. 


^-v*- 


a.9.449.]  SUBJUGATION  OF  BRITAIN.  5 

way,  agdthe  Saxons  keeppossftfision  of  **"*  gnnntry,  Xgain 
they  send  to~Germany,  not  secretly  as  before,  but  by  a  public 
embassy,  as  victors  are  wont  to  do,  and  demand  reinforce- 
ments. A  large  multitude  joined  them  from  every  province 
of  Germany ;  and  they  carried  on  war  against  the  Britons, 
driving  them  from  their  territories  with  great  slaughter,  and 
ever  remaining  masters  of  the  field.  At  last  the  Britons 
bend  their  necks  to  the  yoke,  and  pay  tribute.  J  This  migra- 
tion is  said  to  have  been  made  from  the  three  provinces  of 
Grermany,  which  are  said  to  have  been  the  most  distin- 
guished, namely,  from  ^axonjj^^^liaj^and^  Giota.  The 
Cantuarians  derived  their  origin  from  the  Giotae  [Jutes], 
and  also  the  Uuhtii,  who  took  their  name  from  the  island 
Wihta  [Isle  of  Wight],  which  lies  on  the  coast  of  Britain. 

For  out  of  Saxony,  which  is  now  called  Ald-Sexe,  or  Old 
Saxony,  came  the  tribes  which  are  still  called  so  among  the 
English,  the  East  Saxons,  South  Saxons,  and  West  Saxons ; 
that  is,  those  who  are  called  in  Latin,  the  Oriental,  Austral, 
and  Occidental  Saxons. 

Out  of  the  province  of  Anglia  came  the  East  Anglians, 
Middle  Anglians,  Mercians,  and  all  the  race  of  the  Nor- 
thumbrians.    Moreover  Old  Anglia  is  situated  between  the 
Saxons  and  Jutes,  having  a  capital  town,  which  in  Saxon  is 
called  Sleswig,  but  in  Danish  Haithaby.     Britain,  therefore, 
is  now  called  Anglia  [England],  because  it  took  the  name  of 
its  conquerors :  for  their  leaders  aforesaid  were  the  first  who 
came  thence  to  Britain ;  namely,  Hengist  and  Horsa,  sons  of 
Wyhrtels  :*  their  grandfather  was  Wecta,  and  their  great-^,^ 
grandfather  Withar,  whose  father    was  Wodenj^who  also 
was  king  of  a  multitude  of  barbarians.     For  the  unbelievers  ^ 
of  the  North  are  oppressed  by  such  delusion  that  they  wor-    '  -~ 
ship  him  as  a  god  even  to  this  day,  namely  the  Danes,  the 
Northmen,  and  the  Suevi ;  of  whom  Lucan  says, 

u  Pours  forth  the  yellow  Suevi  from  the  North." 

I  So  greatly  did  the  invasion  of  those  nations  spread  and 
increase,  that  they  by  degrees  obliterated  all  memory  of  the 
inhabitants  who  had  formerly  invited  them  with  gifts.  They 
demand  their  stipends:  the  Britons  refuse:  they  take  up 
arms,  discord  arises,  and  as  we  have  before  said,  they  drive 
•  More  commonly  called  Wihtgils. 


6  ETHELWERDS  CHBOinCLE.  [a.d.  418-4«5. 

the  Britons  into  certain  narrow  isthmuses  of  the  island,  and 
themselves  hold  possession  of  the  island  from  sea  to  sea  even 
unto  the  present  timej 

A.  418.  In  the  ninth  year  also  after  the  sacking  of  Rome 
by  the  Goths,  those  of  Roman  race  who  were  left  in  Britain, 
not  bearing  the  manifold  insults  of  the  people,  bury  their 
treasures  in  pits  thinking  that  hereafter  they  might  have 
better  fortune,  which  never  was  the  case ;  and  taking  a  por- 
tion, assemble  on  the  coast,  spread  their  canvas  to  the  winds, 
and^seek  an  exile  on  the  shores  of  Gaul. 

;  A.  430.  Twelve  years  after,  bishop  Palladius  is  sent  by 
the~Koly  pope  Celestinus  to  preach  the  gospel  of  Christ  to 
the  Scots. 

CHAPTER* 

A/ 449.  When,  therefore,  nineteen  years  had  elapsed, 
Maurice  and  Valentine  f  became  emperors  of  Rome;  in 
whose  reign  Hengist  and  Horsa  at  the  invitation  of  Vorti- 
gern  king  of  the  Britons  arrive  at  the  place  caHecl  Wip- 
pid's-fleet^at  first  on  the  plea  of  assisting  the  Britons: 
but  afterwards  they  rebelled  and  became  their  enemies^  as 
we  have  already  said.  Now  the  number  of  years,  completed 
since  the  marvellous  incarnation  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
was  four  hundred  and  forty-nine. 

A.  455.  In  the  sixth  year  after,  Hengist  and  Horsa 
fought  a  battle  against  Vortigern  in  the  plain  of  JEgels- 
threp.  There  Horsa  was  killed,  and  Hengist  obtained  the 
kingdom. 

A.  457.  But  after  two  years,  Hengist  and  iEsc  his  son 
renewed  the  war  against  the  Britons ;  and  there  fell  in  that 
day  on  the  side  of  the  Britons  four  thousand  men.  Then 
the  Britons,  leaving  Cantia,  which  is  commonly  called  Kent, 
fled  to  the  city  of  London. 

|  A.  465.  About  eight  years  after,  the  same  men  took  up 
terms  against  the  Britons,  and  there  was  a  great  slaughter 
(made  on  that  day :  twelve  chiefs  of  the  Britons  fell  near  a 
place  called  Wipped's-fleet ;  there  fell  a  soldier  of  the  Saxons 
called  Wipped,  from  which  circumstance  that  place  took  its 
name;  in  the  same  way  as  the  Thesean  sea  was  so  called 

*  Ca pit ul  urn  in  the  original :  but  no  number  is  annexed. 
f  This  should  be  Marcian  and  Valentinian. 


lb.  473-530.]  WARS  AGAINST  BRITAIN.  7 

from  Theseus,  and  the  iEgaean  sea  from  JEgeus  who  was 
drowned  in  it. 

A.  473.  After  eight  years  were  completed,  Hengist  with  i 
his  son  JEsc,  a  second  time  make  war  against  the  Britons,/ 
and  having  slaughtered  their  army,  remain  victors  on  the 
field  of  battle,  and  carry  off  immense  spoils. 

A.  477.  In  the  fourth  year  J3Ua  landed  in  Britain  from  ? 
Germany  with  his  three  sons,  at  a~  place  called  Cymenes-\ 
Ora,  and  defeated  the  Britons  at  Aldredes-leage.*  » 

A.  485.  After  eight  years,  the  same  people  fight  against 
the  Britons,  near  a  place  called  Mearcraedsburn. 

A.  488.  After  this,  at  an  interval  of  three  years,  JEsc, 
son  of  Hengist,  began  to  reign  in  Kent. 

A.  492.  After  "three  years,  JElla  and  Assa  besieged  a 
town  called  Andreds-cester,  and  slew  all  its  inhabitants, 
both  small  and  great,  leaving  not  a  single  soul  alive. 

A.  495.  After  the  lapse  of  three  more  years,  Cerdic  ancT, 
his  son  Cynric  sailed  to  Britain  with  five  ships,  to  a  port  j 
called  Cerdic's-ore,  and  on  the  same  day  fought  a  battle: 
against  the  Britons,  in  which  they  were  finally  victorious.     J 

A.  500.  Six  years  after  their  arrival,  they  sailed  round 
the  western  part  of  Britain,  which  is  now  called  Wessex. 

Ai^50h"^iso*arterVyear  Port  landed  in  Britain  with  his 
son  Bieda. 

A.  508.  Seven  years  after  his  arrival,  Cerdic  with  his  son 
Cynric  slay  Natan-Leod,  king  of  the  Britons,  and  five  thou-  ^' 
sand  men  with  him. 

A.  514.  Six  years  after,  Stuf  and  Whitgar  landed  in 
Britain  at  Cerdic's-ore,  and  suddenly  make  war  on  the  Bri- 
tons, whom  they  put  to  flight,  and  themselves  remain  masters 
of  the  field.  Thus  was  completed  the  fifty-sixth  \  year  since 
Hengist  and  Horsa  first  landed  in  Britain. 

A.  519.  Five  years  after,  Cerdic  and  Cynric  fought  a 
battle  against  the  Britons  at  Cerdic's-ford,  %  on  the  river 
Avene,  and  that  same  year  nominally  began  to  reign. 

A.  527.  Eight  years  after,  they  renew  the  war  against  the 
Britons. 

A  530.  After  three  years,  they  took  the  Isle  of  Wight,  -■ 

•  Perhaps  an  error  for  Andredes-leage,  formerly  Anderida,  in  Sussex, 
t  This  number  should  be  sixty-six. 
i  Charford,  near  Fordingbridge,  Hants. 


g  ETHELWERD'S   CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  534— 577. 

the  situation  of  which  we  have  mentioned  above  :  but  they 
did  joot  kill  many  of  the  Britons. 

(A.  J>34.  Four  years  after,  Cerdic  with  his  son  Cenric  gives 
up  the  Isle  of  Wight  into  the  hands  of  their  two  cousins 
Stuf  and  Wihtgar.  In  the  course  of  the  same  year  Cerdic 
died,  and  Cenric  his  son  began  to  reign  after  him,  and  he 
reigned  twenty-seven  years. 

A.  538.  When  he  had  reigned  four  years,  the  sun  was 
eclipsed  from  the  first  hour  of  the  day  to  the  third.* 

A.  540.  Again,  two  years  after,  the  sun  was  eclipsed  for 
half-an-hour  after  the  third  hour,  so  that  the  stars  were 
everywhere  visible  in  the  sky. 

A.  547.  In  the  seventh  year  after  this,  Ida  began  to 
I  reign  over  the  province  of  Northumberland,  whose  family 
I  derive  their  kingly  title  and  nobility  from  Woden. 

A.  552.  Five  years  after,  Cenric  fought  against  the  Britons 
near  the  town  of  Scarburh  [Old  Sarum],  and,  having  routed 
them,  slew  a  large  number. 

A.  556.  The  same,  four  years  afterwards,  fought  with 
Ceawlin  against  the  Britons,  near  a  place  called  Berin-byrig 
[Banbury  ?] 

A.  560.  At  the  end  of  about  four  years,  Ceawlin  began 
to  reign  over  the  western  part  of  Britain,  which  is  now  com- 
monly called  Wessex.  Moreover,  Ella  the  Iffing  is  sent  to 
the  race  of  Northumbria,  whose  ancestry  extends  up  to  the 
highest,  namely  to  Woden. 
v  A.  565.  Five  years  afterwards,  Christ's  servant  Columba 
came  from  Scotia  [Ireland]  to  Britain,  to  preach  the  word  of 
GodtothePicts. 

A.  568.  Three  years  after.his  coming,  Ceawlin  and  Cutha 
stirred  up  a  civil  war  against  Bthelbert,  and  having  defeated 
him,  pursued  him  into  Kent,  and  slew  his  two  chiefs,  Oslaf 
and  Cnebba,  in  Wubbandune.f 

A.  571.  After  three  years,  Cuthulf  fought  against  the 
Britons  at  Bedanford  [Bedford],  and  took  four  royal  cities, 
namely  Liganburh  [Lenbury],  Eglesburh  [Aylesbury],  Ben- 
singtun  [Benson],  and  Ignesham  [Eynsham], 

A.  577.  After  the  lapse  of  six  years,  Cuthwin  and  Ceaw- 
lin fight  against  the  Britons,  and  slay  three  of  their  kings, 

*  That  is,  from  seven  till  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
f  Wimbledon,  or  Worplesdon,  Surrey. 


A.D.584— 596.]  ARRIVAL  OF  AUGUSTINE.  9 

Comail,  Condidan,  and  Farinmeail,  at  a  place  called  Deor- 
hamme  [Derham?];  and  they  took  three  of  their  most 
distinguished  cities,  Gloucester,  Cirencester,  and  Bath. 

A.  584.  After  seven  years,  Ceawlin  and  Cutha  fought 
against  the  Britons,  at  a  place  called  Fethanleage  [Frethernlj; 
there  Cutha  fell ;  but  Ceawlin  reduced  a  multitude  of  (Sties) 
and  took  immense  spoils. 

A.  592.  In  the  eighth  year  there  was  a  great  slaughter  on 
both  sides,  at  a  place  called  Wodnesbyrg  [Wemborow?],  so 
that  Ceawlin  was  put  to  flight,  and  died  at  the  end  of  one 
more  year. 

A.  593.  After  him,  Cwichelm,  Crida,  and  Ethelfrid,  suc- 
ceeded to  the  kingdom. 

HERB  ENDS  BOOK  THE  FIRST. 


HERE  BEGINS  THE  PROLOGUE  TO  BOOK  THE  SECOND. 

In  the  beginning  of  this  book  it  will  not  be  necessary  to 
make  a  long  preface,  my  dearest  sister  ;  for  I  have  guided 
my  pen  down  through  many  perplexed  subjects  from  the 
highest  point,  and,  omitting  those  things  extracted  from  sa- 
cred and  profane  history,  on  which  most  persons  have  fixed 
their  attention,  have  left  higher  matters  to  the  skilful  reader. 
And  now  I  must  turn  my  pen  to  the  description  of  those 
things  which  properly  concern  our  ancestors  ;  and  though  a 
pupil  is  not  properly  called  a  member,  yet  it  yields  no  little 
service  to  the  other  members. 

We  therefore  entreat  in  God's  name  that  our  words  may 
not  be  despised  by  the  malevolent,  but  rather  that  they  may 
give  abundant  thanks  to  the  King  of  heaven,  if  they  seem  to 
speak  things  of  high  import. 

HERE  ENDS  THE  PROLOGUE; 

AND 

THE  SECOND  BOOK  BEGINS. 

Chap.  I. — Of  the  coming  of  Augustine,  who  was  sent  by  the  blessed  Pope 
Gregory,     [a.d.  596.] 

As  Divine  Providence,  mercifully  looking  down  upon  all 
things  from  all  eternity,  is  accustomed  to  rule  them,  not  by 
necessity,  but  by  its  powerful  superintendence,  and  remain- 


10  ETHELWEKD's  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.597. 

ing  always  immoveable  m  itself,  and  disposing  the  different 
elements  by  its  word,  and  the  human  race  to  come  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth  by  the  death  of  his  only  begotten 
Son,  by  whose  blood  the  four  quarters  of  the  world  are  re- 
deemed, so  now  by  his  servant  doth  it  dispel  the  darkness  in 
the  regions  of  the  west. 

Whilst  therefore  the  blessed  pope  Gregory  sat  on  the 
episcopal  seat,  and  sowed  the  seeds  of  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
there  stood  by  him  some  men  of  unknown  tongue  and  very 
comely  to  look  on.  The  holy  man  admiring  the  beauty  of 
their  countenances,  asked  of  them  with  earnestness  from  what 
country  they  came.  The  young  men  with  downcast  looks 
replied,  that  they  were  Angles.  "  Are  you  Christians,"  said 
the  holy  man,  "or  heathens  ?"  "Certainly  not  Christians," 
said  they,  "  for  no  one  has  yet  opened  our  ears."  Then  the 
holy  man,  lifting  up  his  eyes,  replied,  "  What  man,  when 
there  are  stones  at  hand,  lays  a  foundation  with  reeds?" 
They  answer,  "No  man  of  prudence."  "You  have  well 
said,"  answered  he ;  and  he  straightway  took  them  into  a 
room,  where  he  instructed  them  in  the  divine  oracles,  and 
afterwards  washed  them  with  the  baptism  of  Christ :  and 
further  he  arranged  with  them,  that  he  would  go  with  them 
into  their  country.  When  the  Eomans  heard  of  this  they 
opposed  his  words,  and  were  unwilling  to  allow  their  pastor 
to  go  so  far  from  home.  The  blessed  pope  Gregory,  there- 
fore, seeing  that  the  people  were  opposed  to  him,  sent  with 
the  men  aforesaid  one  of  his  disciples,  who  was  well  instructed 
in  the  divine  oracles,  by  name  Augustine,  and  with  him  a 
multitude  of  brethren.  When  these  men  arrived,  the  En- 
glish received  the  faith  and  erected  temples,  and  our  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ  exhibited  innumerable  miracles  to  his  faithful 
followers  through  the  prayers  of  the  bishop,  St.  Augustine ; 
at  whose  tomb,  even  to  the  present  day,  no  small  number  of 
miracles  are  wrought,  with  the  assistance  of  our  Lord. 

Chap.  II.— Of  king  Ethelbert,  and  of  his  baptism,    [a.d.  597.] 

When  the  man  aforesaid  arrived,  B^helbert  bore  rule  over 
Kent,  and  receiving  the  faith,  submitted  to  be  baptized  with 
all  his  house.  He  was  the  first  king  among  the  English  who 
received  the  word  of  Christ.     Lastly  Ethelbert  was  the  son 


aj».597-606.]  D&4TH  OF  POPE  GREGORY.  11 

of  Ermenric,  whose  grandfather  was  Ochta,  who  bore  the 
praenomen  of  Eiic,*  from  which  the  kings  of  Kent  were 
afterwards  named  Esings,  as  the  Romans  from  Romulus,  the 
Cecropidas  from  Cecrops,  and  the  Tuscans  from  Tuscus. 
For  Eisc  was  the  faUier^dT^SEB^al^who  was  the  first Jy 
consul  and  Iea3er  of  the  Angles  out  of  Germany ;  whose'* 
father  was  Wihtgils,  his  grandfather  Witta,  his  great-grand- 
father Wecta,  his  great-grandfather's  father  Woden,  who 
also  was  king  of  many  nations,  whom  some  of  the  pagans 
now  still  worship  as  a  god.  And  the  number  of  years  that 
was  completed  from  the  incarnation  of  our  Lord  was  four 
years  less,  than  six  hundred.  | 

Chap.  Ill*— Of  Ceolwulf  king  of  the  West-Saxons,  and  of  his  con- 
United  ware. 

6y  597.  At  the  end  of  one  year,  Ceolwulf  began  to  reign 
over  the  Western  English.^  His  family  was  derived  from 
Woden  ;  and  so  great  was  his  ferocity  that  he  is  said  to  have 
been  always  at  war,  either  with  his  own  nation  or  with  the 
Britons,  or  the  Picts  or  Scots. 

Chap.  IV. — Concerning  Augustine's  pall  of  apostleship  sent  him  by  pope 
Gregory. 

A.  601.  When  he  had  reigned  four  years,  pope  Gregory 
sent  to  Augustine  the  pall  of  apostleship. 

Chap.  V. — Of  the  faith  of  the  East-Saxons,  and  of  the  decease  of  the 
blessed  pope  Gregory. 

A.  604.  After  three  years,  the  eastern  English  §  also  re- 
ceived baptism  in  the  reign  of  Sigebert  ["Sabert]  their  king. 

A.  606.  Two  years  afterwards,  the  blessed  pope  Gregory 
departed  this  world,  in  the  eleventh  year  after  he  had 
bestowed  baptism  on  the  English  by  sending  among  them 
Christ's  servant  Augustine.     And  the  number  of  years  that 

•  See  William  of  Malmsbury,  b.  i.  c.  1,  p.  12,  note.  t  a.d.  596. 

J  West-Saxons  is  the  more  correct  term  ;  but  Ethelwerd  often  uses  the 
more  general  name  Angles  or  English,  for  all  the  tribes  settled  in  England. 

§  Orientates  Angli  is  the  expression  of  Ethelwerd,  but  it  should  be 
Orientates  Saxones,  whose  king's  name  is  generally  writteu  Sabert.  See 
preceding  note. 


12  ETHELWERD'S  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  627— 658. 

was  completed  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  was  more 
than  five  thousand  and  eight  hundred.  * 

Chap.  VI. — Of  the  reign  of  king  Cynegils,  his  wars;  and  of  the  coming  of 
bishop  Birinus,  of  the  baptism  of  the  king,  and  the  faith  of  the  East- 
Saxons,  f  and  of  the  baptism  of  Cuthrid.     [a.d.  616—-639.] 

Afterwards  Cynegils  received  the  kingdom  of  the  West- 
Angles,  and,  in  conjunction  with  Cuichelm,  he  fought 
against  the  Britons  at  a  place  called  Beandune,^  and  having 
defeated  their  army,  slew  more  than  two  thousand  and  forty 
of  them. 

A.  629.  Fourteen  years  after,  Cynegils  and  Cuichelm 
fought  against  Penda  at  Cirencester. 

A.  635.  After  six  years  bishop  Birinus  came  among  the 
Western  Angles,  preaching  to  them  the  gospel  of  Christ. 
And  the  number  of  years  that  elapsed  since  their  arrival  in 
Britain  out  of  Germany,  was  about  one  hundred  and  twenty. 
At  that  time  Cynegils  received  baptism  from  the  holy  bishop 
Birinus,  in  a  town  called  Dorchester. 

A.  639.  He  baptized  Cuthred  also  four  years  after  in  the 
same  city,  and  adopted  him  as  his  son  in  baptism. 

Chap.  VII. — Of  the  reign  of  Kenwalk,  and  of  his  actions. 

A.  648.  When  nine  years  were  fulfilled,  Kenwalk  gave 
to  his  relation,  Cuthred,  out  of  his  farms,  three  thousand 
measures,  adjacent  to  a  hill  named  Esc's  dune,  [Aston  ?] 

A.  652.  Four  years  after,  he  fought  a  battle  against  his 
own  people,  at  a  place  called  Bradford,  on  the  river  Afene.  § 

A.  655.  Three  years  afterwards  king  Penda  died,  and  the 
Mercians  were  baptized. 

A.  658.  After  three  years  more,  the  kings  Kenwalk  and 
Pionna||  renewed  the  war  against  the  Britons,  and  pursued 
them  to  a  place  called  Pederydan.  % 

*  Ethelwerd  adopts  that  system  of  chronology  which  makes  5300  to  have 
elapsed  before  Chrirt. 

+  Should  be  West-Saxons. . 

t  Most  probably  Bampton  in  Oxfordshire.  This  battle  took  place  in 
614.     See  the  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle  for  that  year. 

§  Avon. 

H  This  should  be  <<  at  Pionna,"  [Pen].    See  Saxon  Chronicle. 

f  Petherton. 


A.D.C61— «82.]  WULFHEBE^— KENTWIN.  13 

A.  661.  After  three  years,  Kenwalk  again  fought  a  battle 
near  the  town  of  Pontesbury,  and  took  prisoner  Wulf  here,  son 
of  Penda,  at  Esc'sdune  [Ashdown],  when  he  had  defeated 
his  army. 

A.  664.  Three  years  afterwards  there  was  an  eclipse  of 
the  sun. 

A.  670.  When  six  years  were  fulfilled,  Oswy,  king  of 
Northumberland,  died,  and  Egfrid  succeeded  him. 

A.  671.  After  one  year  more,  there  was  a  great  pestilence 
among  the  birds,  so  that  there  was  an  intolerable  stench  by 
sea  and  land,  arising  from  the  carcases  of  birds,  both  small 
and  great. 

A.  672.  Twelve  months  after  Kenwalk,  king  of  the  West- 
Angles,  died ;  and  his  wife,  Sexburga,  succeeded  him  in  the 
kingdom,  and  reigned  twelve  months. 

A.  673.  After  her  Escwin  succeeded  to  the  throne,  and 
two  years  were  fulfilled.     His  family  traces  to  Cerdic. 

Chap.  VIII. — Of  WvXfhere  and  CenwtUf*  and  of  the  council  held  by  the 
holy  father  Theodore, 

A.  674.  After  one  year,  Wulf  here  son  of  Penda,  and 
Cenwalh*  fought  a  battle  among  themselves  in  a  place  called 
Beadanhead  [Bedwin]. 

A.  677.  After  three  years  a  comet  was  seen. 

A.  680.  At  the  end  of  two  years  a  council  was  held  at 
Hethlege,f  by  the  holy  archbishop  Theodore,  to  instruct  the 
people  in  the  true  faith.  In  the  course  of  the  same  year 
died  Christ's  servant,  Hilda,  abbess  of  the  monastery  called 
Streaneshalch  [Whitby]. 

Chap.  IX. — Of  king  Kentwin  and  his  wars 

A.  682.  After  two  years  king  Kentwin  drove  the  Britons 
out  of  their  country  to  the  sea. 

A.  684.  After  he  had  reigned  two  years  f  Ina  became  king 
of  the  western  English.  A  hundred  and  eighty-eight  years 
were  then  fulfilled  from  the  time  that   Cerdic,  his  sixth 

*  These  names  are  both  wrong ;  we  must  read  Escwin. 
t  Heathfield  or  Hatfield. 

X  There  is  an  error  here :  Ceedwalla  is  omitted,  and  three  years  are  lost 
in  the  chronology. 


14  ETHELWEED'S  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.682— 7SL 

ancestor,  received  the  western  part  of  the  island  from  the 
Britons. 

Chap.  X. — Of  Cadwalla's  conversion  to  the  faith  of  Christ, 

A.  684.  In  the  course  of  the  same  year  Csedwalla  went  to 
Rome,  and  received  baptism  and  the  the  faith  of  Christ; 
after  his  baptism  the  pope  of  that  year  gave  him  the  surname 
of  Peter. 

A.  694.  About  six  years  afterwardsj  the  Kentish  men  re- 
membered the  cause  which  they  had  against  king  Ina  when 
they  burnt  his  relation*  with  fire ;  and  they  gave  him  thirty 
thousand  shillings  at  a  fixed  rate  of  sixteen  pence  each. 

Chap.— XI.  Of  the  acts  of  Ethelred  king  of  the  Mercians. 

A.  704.  After  ten  years,  Ethelred  son  of  Penda  and  king  of 
the  Mercians  assumed  the  monastic  habit,  when  he  had  com- 
pleted twenty-nine  years  of  his  reign. 

A.  705.  After  twelve  months  died  Alfrid  king  of  North- 
umberland. And  the  number  of  years  that  was  then  ful- 
filled from  the  beginning  of  the  world  was  five  thousand 
nine  hundred. 

A.  709.  Four  years  afterwards  died  the  holy  bishop  Aid- 
helm,  by  whose  wonderful  art  were  composed  the  words  which 
are  now  read,  and  his  bishopric  was  the  province  which  is 
now  called  Selwoodshire  [Sherborne]. 

Chap.  XII. — Of  the  reign  of  Ina,  and  of  his  acts, 

A.  710.  After  a  year,  the  kings  and  Ina  made  war  against 
king  Wuthgirete  ;f  also  duke  Bertfrid  against  the  Picts. 

A.  714.  After  four  years  died  Christ's  servant  Guthlac. 

A.  715.  After  a  year  Ina  and  Ceolred  fought  against 
those  who  opposed  them  in  arms  at  Wothnesbeorghge  [Wan- 
borough.] 

A.  721.  After  seven  years  Ina  slew  Cynewulf,  and  after 
six  months  made  war  against  the  Southern  English. 

*  His  name  was  Mull :  the  passage  is  obscure.  See  the  Anglo-Saxon 
Chronicle. 

t  Called  Gerent  in  the  Saxon  Chronicle,  and  Gerentius  in  Aldhelm't 
works. 


aj*  728— 756.  J  ETHELABD — SIGEBEBT.  15 

Chap.  XIII.— Of  king  Ethelard. 

A.  728.  When  six  years  were  fulfilled  he  went  to  Rome, 
and  Ethelard  received  the  kingdom  of  the  West  Saxons. 
In  the  first  year  of  his  reign  he  made  war  against  Oswy.* 

A.  729.  At  the  end  of  one  year  a  comet  appeared,  and 
the  holy  bishop  Egbert  died. 

A.  731.  After  two  years,  Osric  king  of  Northumberland 
died  and  Ceolwulf  succeeded  to  the  kingdom. 

Chap.  XIV— Of  the  acts  of  king  Ethelbald. 

A.  733.  Two  years  after  these  things,  king  Ethelbald  re- 
ceived under  his  dominion  the  royal  vill  which  is  called 
Somerton.     The  same  year  the  sun  was  eclipsed. 

A.  734.  After  the  lapse  of  one  year,  the  moon  appeared 
as  if  stained  with  spots  of  blood,  and  by  the  same  omen  Tat- 
wine  and  Bedef  departed  this  life. 

Chap.  XV. — Of  the  reign  of  Eadbert  and  of  his  deeds. 

A.  738.  After  four  years,  Eadbert  succeeded  to  the  kingdom 
of  the  Northumbrians,  and  his  brother  Egbert  discharged 
the  archiepiscopal  office ;  and  now  they  both  lie  buried  in 
the  city  of  York,  under  the  shade  of  the  same  porch. 

Chap.  XVI.— Of  the  rule  of  king  Outhred. 

A.  750.  After  twelve  years  king  Cuthred  began  to  make 
war  against  duke  Ethelhun,  for  some  state-jealousy. 

A.  752.  Again  after  two  years  he  drew  his  sword  against 
king  Ethelbald  at  a  place  called  Beorgforda.  J 

A.  753.  After  another  year  he  gratified  the  fierce  propen- 
sities of  his  nature  by  making  war  against  the  Britons  :  and 
after  another  year  he  died,  a.d.  754. 

Chap.  XVII. — Of  the  acts  of  king  Sigebert  and  of  his  reign. 

Furthermore  Sigebert  received  the  kingdom  of  the  western 
English. 
A.  756.  At  the  end  of  one  year  after  Sigebert  began  to 

•  Should  be  Oswald  king  of  Northumberland, 
t  It  is  doubtful  whether  Bede  died  in  734  or  735. 
J  Without  doubt  this  is  Burford  in  Oxfordshire. 


16  ETHELWEKD's  CHRONICLE.  [A.D.7M. 

reign,  Cynewulf,  invading  his  kingdom,  took  it  from  him,  and 
drew  away  all  the  wise  men  of  the  west  country,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  perverse  deeds  of  the  aforesaid  king ;  nor  was 
any  part  of  his  kingdom  left  to  him  except  one  province  only, 
named  Hamptonshire  [Hampshire].  And  he  remained  there  no 
long  time ;  for,  instigated  by  an  old  affront,  he  slew  a  certain 
duke,  and  Cynewulf  drove  him  into  the  wilds  of  Andred: 
and  so  he  fled  from  thicket  to  thicket,  until  he  was  at  last 
slain  by  a  herdsman  at  a  place  named  Pryffetesflodan,*  and 
so  the  blood  of  duke  Cumbra  was  avenged. 

Chap.  XVIII. — Of  the  reign  of  Cynewulf,  his  war  and  deeds, 

A.  755.  These  things  having  been  premised,  Cynewulf  fre- 
quently fought  no  slight  battles  against  the  Britons.  For 
when  thirty-one  years  had  passed,  he  tried  to  expel  from  his 
territories  a  certain  chief  named  Cyneard,  brother  to  Sige- 
bert,  whose  deeds  have  been  related  above.  He  was  after- 
wards besieged  by  this  prince,  for  it  was  told  him  that  he  was 
in  company  of  a  certain  courtezan  at  a  place  called  Meranton 
[Merton],  and  though  he  had  with  him  only  a  few  men,  who 
knew  nothing  of  the  matter,  he  surrounded  the  house  with 
arms.  The  king,  seeing  how  he  was  situated,  leaped  to  the 
door,  and  bravely  repelled  their  weapons ;  but  making  up  his 
mind  he  rushed  upon  the  prince,  and  inflicted  no  slight  wounds 
upon  him ;  his  companions,  not  forgetting  his  threats,  raised 
their  weapons  and  slew  the  king.  The  report  being  spread, 
the  king's  soldiers,  who  had  been  in  his  company,  each  for 
himself,  as  was  their  custom,  made  an  attack,  uttering  shouts. 
But  the  prince,  soothing  them,  promised  them  gifts  and  ample 
honours.  They  desire  death,  now  that  their  lord  is  dead ; 
nor  do  they  attend  to  his  promises,  but  rush  with  one  accord 
upon  death.  None  of  them  escaped  with  life  except  one 
British  hostage,  and  he  had  received  severe  wounds.  When, 
therefore,  the  day  dawned,  it  became  known  to  the  soldiers, 
who  had  remained  behind  the  king's  back,  they  assembled 
together  and  set  forth,  and  with  them  Osric  the  duke  and 
Wigferth  the  knight.  They  found  the  prince  in  the  house, 
where  their  master  was  lying  dead.  The  doors  are  belea- 
guered on  both  sides.     Within  are  the  one  party,  and  the 

*  Privett,  Hampshire. 


A.D.  755—756.]  OFPA  AND  HIS  DEEDS.  17 

other  party  are  without.  The  prince  asks  a  truce,  and  makes 
ample  promises;  his  object  is  future  sovereignty.  The 
king's  friends  spurn  these  offers,  and  rather  seek  to  separate 
from  the  prince  their  relations  who  were  in  his  company. 
These  reject  their  proposals ;  on  the  contrary  they  answer 
their  friends  thus  :*  "  No  tie  is  so  powerful  as  that  which 
binds  us  to  our  lord ;  and  whereas  you  ask  us  to  depart,  we 
tell  you  that  we  made  the  same  proposal  to  those  who  were  slain 
with  your  king,  and  they  would  not  accede  to  it."  To  this 
the  other  party  rejoined,  "  But  you  will  remain  unhurt,  if 
you  only  depart,  nor  share  in  the  vengeance  which  we  shall 
inflict  for  those  who  were  slain  with  the  king."  They  re- 
turned no  answer  to  this,  but  silently  begin  the  battle ;  shield 
punishes  shield,  and  arms  are  laced  in  bucklers,  relation  falls 
by  his  kinsman ;  they  smash  the  doors,  one  pursues  after  an- 
other, and  a  lamentable  fight  ensues.  Alas  !  they  slay  the 
prince ;  all  his  companions  are  laid  low  before  his  face,  except 
one,  and  he  was  the  baptismal  son  of  duke  Osric,  but  half 
alive,  and  covered  with  wounds. 

Now  Cynewulf  reigned  thirty-one  years,  and  his  body  lies 
entombed  in  the  city  of  Winchester.  The  above-named  prince 
also  reposes  in  the  church  commonly  called  Axanminster.f 
Both  their  families  trace  to  Cerdic. 

A.  755.  In  the  same  year  Ethelbald,  king  of  Mercia,  was 
slain  at  a  place  called  Seccandune,f  and  his  body  rests  in  a 
monastery  called  Reopandune.§  Bernred  succeeded  to  the 
kingdom,  and  not  long  after  he  also  died. 

Chap.  XIX.— Of  the  reign  tfking  Offa  and  qfhis  deeds. 

A.  756.  In  the  revolution  of  the  same  year,  Offa  suc- 
ceeded to  the  kingdom,  a  remarkable  man,  son  of  Thing- 
ferth;  his  grandfather  was  Enwulf,  his  great-grandfather 
Osmod,  his  great-grandfather's  father  Pybba,  his  great-grand- 
father's grandfather  was  Icel,  his  sixth  ancestor  Eomaer,  the 


*  This  is  a  sort  of  paraphrase  rather  than  a  translation  :  the  original  is 
not  only  bad  in  style  and  ungrammatical,  but  exceedingly  corrupt  and 
ray  obscure. 

f  Now  Axminster.  The  syllable  an  or  en  occurs  similarly  in  many  an- 
cient Saxon  towns ;  thus  Bedanford,  Oxenford,  fee,  and  Seccandune,  Reop- 
andune  below.        X  Now  Seckington.  §  Now  Repton. 

C 


18  ETHELWERD's   CHRONICLE.  U.d.  773-786. 

seventh  Angeltheow,  the  eighth  Offa,  the  ninth  Waermund, 
the  tenth  Wihtlaeg,  the  eleventh  Woden. 

A.  773.  Also  after  seventeen  years,  from  the  time  that 
Cynewulf  took  the  kingdom  from  Sigebert,  the  sign  of  our 
Lord's  cross  appeared  in  the  heavens  after  sun-set,  and  in  the 
same  year  a  civil  contest*  took  place  between  the  people  of 
Kent  and  Mercia,  at  a  place  called  Cittanford  :f  and  in  those 
days  some  monstrous  serpents  were  seen  in  the  country  of  the 
Southern  Angles,  which  is  called  Sussex. 

A.  777.  About  four  years  after,  Cynewulf  and  Offa  fought 
a  battle  near  the  town  of  Bensington,  which  was  gained  by 
Offa. 

A.  779.  Two  years  afterwards,  the  Gauls  and  Saxons 
stirred  up  no  slight  contests  with  one  another. 

A.  783.  In  short,  after  four  years,  Cyneard  slays  king 
Cynewulf,  and  is  himself  also  slain  there. 

Chap.  XX. — Of  the  acts  of  Bertric,  king  of  the  West-Saxons. 

A.  783.  In  the  same  year  Bertric  received  the  kingdom 
of  the  West- Angles,  whose  lineage  traces  up  to  Cerdic. 

A.  786.  After  three  years,  he  took  in  marriage  OfiVs 
daughter  Eadburga. 

HERE  ENDS  BOOK  THE  SECOND, 

AND 

THE  PROLOGUE  OF  BOOK  THE  THIRD  BEGINS. 

After  what  has  been  written  in  the  foregoing  pages,  it  re- 
mains that  we  declare  the  contents  of  our  third  book.  We 
exhort  you,  therefore,  most  beloved  object  of  my  desire,  that 
the  present  work  may  not  be  thought  tedious  by  you  for  its 
length  of  reading,  since  to  thee  especially  I  dedicate  this. 
Wherefore,  the  farther  my  mind  digresses,  the  more  does  my 
affectionate  love  generate  and  expand  itself. 

HERE   ENDS   THE   PROLOGUE, 

*  The  term  '  civile  bellum ' — civil  war  is  used  by  Ethelwerd,  to  denote 
a  battle  between  the  kindred  Anglo-Saxon  kingdoms ;  the  classical  reader 
will  also  note  the  use  of  the  word  *  bellum '  for  *  prelium.' 

t  This  should  be  Ottanford,  or  Otford,  in  Kent,  a  place  of  great 
antiquity. 


A.n.  787—800.]  KENULF — HIS  WABS.  19 


AND  THE  BOOK  BEGINS. 

Whilst  the  pious  king  Bertric  was  reigning  over  the  west- 
ern parts  of  the  English,  and  the  innocent  people  spread 
through  their  plains  were  enjoying  themselves  in  tranquillity 
and  yoking  their  oxen  to  the  plough,  suddenly  there  arrived 
on  the  coast  a  fleet  of  Danes,  not  large,  but  of  three  ships 
only  :  this  was  their  first  arrival  When  this  became  known, 
the  king's  officer,  who  was  already  stopping  in  the  town  of 
Dorchester,  leaped  on  his  horse  and  gallopped  forwards  with 
a  few  men  to  the  port,  thinking  that  they  were  merchants 
rather  than  enemies,  and,  commanding  them  in  an  authorita- 
tive tone,  ordered  them  to  be  made  to  go  to  the  royal  city  ; 
but  he  was  slain  on  the  spot  by  them,  and  all  who  were  with 
him.     The  name  of  the  officer  was  Beaduherd. 

A.  787.  And  the  number  of  years,  that  was  fulfilled  was 
above  three  hundred  and  thirty-four,  from  the  time  that  Hen- 
gist  and  Horsa  arrived  in  Britain,  in  which  also  Bertric 
married  the  daughter  of  king  Offa. 

A.  792.  Moreover,  it  was  after  five  years  that  Offa  king 
of  the  Mercians  commanded  the  head  of  king  Ethelbert  to  be 
struck  off. 

A.  794.  After  two  years  Offa  also  died,  and  Egfert  his 
son  succeeded  to  the  kingdom,  and  died  in  the  same  year. 
Pope  Adrian  also  departed  this  life.  Ethelred,  king  of  the 
Northumbrians,  was  slain  by  his  own  people. 

Chap.  I. — Of Kenulf  king  of  the  Mercians,  and  of  his  wars. 

A.  796.  After  two  years,  Kenulf,  king  of  the  Mercians, 
ravaged  Kent  and  the  province  which  is  called  Merscwari,* 
and  their  king  Pren  was  taken,  whom  they  loaded  with 
chains,  and  led  as  far  as  Mercia. 

A.  797.  Then  after  a  year,  the  enraged  populace  of  Rome 
cut  out  the  tongue  of  the  blessed  pope  Leo,  and  tore  out  his 
eyes,  and  drove  him  from  his  apostolical  seat.  But  suddenly, 
by  the  aid  of  Christ,  who  is  always  wonderful  in  his  works, 
Ids  sight  was  restored,  and  his  tongue  regifted  with  speech, 
and  he  resumed  his  seat  of  apostleship  as  before. 

A.  800.  After  three  years,  king  Bertric  died. 

*  The  Merecwari  are  thought  to  have  been  the  inhabitants  of  Romney, 
in  Kent,  and  its  vicinity. 

C2 


20  ETHELWEBD'S  CHRONICLE.  [a.».  805-823. 

Chap.  II. — Of  the  reign  of  Egbert,  and  his  deeds. 

Therefore  Egbert  is  raised  to  the  kingdom  of  the  West- 
Saxons.  On  the  very  same  day,  as  king  Ethelmund  was 
passing  through  a  farm,  Wiccum,  intending  to  go  to  a  ford 
called  Cynemgeresford  [Kempsford],  duke  Woxstan  met  him 
there  with  the  centuries  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  province 
of  Wilsaetum  [Wiltshire] .  Both  of  them  fell  in  the  battle, 
but  the  Wilsaetae  remained  the  victors. 

Also,  down  to  the  time  that  Egbert  received  the  kingdom, 
there  were  completed  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  5995 
years,  from  the  incarnation  of  our  Lord  800  years,  from  the 
coming  of  Hengist  and  Horsa  into  Britain  350  years,  from 
the  reign  of  Cerdic,  the  tenth  ancestor  of  king  Egbert,  when 
he  subdued  the  western  part  of  Britain,  300  years,  and  from 
the  coming  of  Augustine,  who  was  sent  by  the  blessed  pope 
Gregory  to  baptize  the  English  nation,  204  years :  and  in 
the  tenth  year  afterwards  the  holy  father  Gregory  died. 

A.  805.  After  king  Egbert  had  reigned  five  years,  was  the 
death  of  Cuthred  king  of  Kent. 

A.  812.  In  the  seventh  year  Charles,  king  of  the  Franks, 
departed  this  life. 

A.  814.  After  two  years,  the  blessed  pope  Leo  passed 
from  one  virtue  to  another. 

A.  819.  After  five  years,  Kenulf  king  of  the  Mercians 
died. 

A.  821.  His  successor  was  Ceolwulf,  who  was  deprived 
of  the  kingdom  two  years  afterwards. 

A.  822.  A  year  afterwards  a  great  synod  was  held  at  a 
place  called  Cloveshoo,*  and  two  dukes  were  there  slain 
Burhelm  and  Mucca. 

A.  823.  After  one  year  a  battle  was  fought  against  the 
Britons  in  the  province  of  Defna  [Devonshire],  at  a  place 
called  Camelford.  In  the  same  year  king  Egbert  fought  a 
battle  against  Bernulf  king  of  the  Mercians  at  Ellendune,f 
and  Egbert  gained  the  victory :  but  there  was  a  great  loss 
on  both  sides  ;  and  Hun  duke  of  the  province  of  Somerset 
was  there  slain :  he  lies  buried  in  the  city  of  Winchester. 
Lastly,  king  Egbert  sent  his  son  Ethelwulf  with  an  army 

*  Near  Rochester,  Kent.  f  Wilton. 


a.d.  824-836.]  KING  EGBERT'S  CONQUESTS.  21 

into  Kent,  and  with  him  bishop  Ealstan  and  duke  Wulf  herd. 
They  defeated  the  Kentish  army,  and  pursued  their  king 
Baldred  into  the  northern  parts  beyond  the  Thames.  To 
whom  the  men  of  Kent  are  afterwards  subjected,  and  also 
the  provinces  of  Surrey  and  Sussex,  that  is,  the  midland 
and  southern  Angles. 

A.  824.  For  in  the  course  of  the  same  year  the  king  of 
the  East- Angles  with  the  wise  men  of  his  realm,  visits  king 
Egbert,  for  the  sake  of  peace  and  protection,  on  account  of 
his  fear  of  the  Mercians. 

A.  825.  In  the  course  of  that  year  the  aforesaid  East- 
Angles  made  war  against  Bernulf  king  of  the  Mercians,  and 
having  defeated  his  army  they  slew  him  and  five  dukes  with 
him.     His  successor  was  Withlaf. 

A.  827.  Two  years  afterwards,  the  moon  was  eclipsed  on 
the  very  night  of  Christ's  nativity.  And  in  the  same  year 
king  Egbert  reduced  under  his  power  all  that  part  of  the 
kingdom  which  lies  to  the  south  of  the  river  Humber  :  he 
was  the  eighth  king  in  Britain  who  was  famous  for  liis  great 
power.  For  the  first  was  JEW*  king  of  the  South- Angles, 
who  possessed  the  same  dominions  as  Egbert ;  the  second 
was  Ceawlin  king  of  the  West- Angles  ;  the  third  Ethelbert 
king  of  Kent ;  the  fourth  Redwald  king  of  the  East- Angles  ; 
the  fifth  Edwin  king  of  Northumbria ;  the  sixth  Oswald  ; 
the  seventh  Oswy  brother  of  Oswald  ;  after  whom  the  eighth 
Egbert,  of  whom  we  have  made  mention  above.  He  led  his 
army  against  the  Northumbrians,  who  also  bent  their  necks 
and  submitted  to  him. 

A.  828.  At  the  end  of  a  year  therefore,  Withlaf  again 
received  the  kingdom.  At  that  time  also,  king  Egbert  led 
his  army  against  the  northern  Britons,  and  when  he  had  sub- 
dued all  of  them,  he  returned  in  peace. 

A.  832.  After  four  years  therefore  the  pagans  devastated 
the  territories  of  a  place  called  Sceapige.* 

A.  833.  After  one  year  Egbert  fought  against  the  pagan 
fleet,  in  number  thirty-five  vessels,  at  a  place  called  Carrum 
[Charmouth]  :  and  the  Danes  obtained  the  victory. 

A.  836.  Lastly  after  three  years,  a  large  army  of  Britons 
approached  the  frontiers  of  the  West- Saxons  :  without  de- 

*  The  Isle  of  Sheppey. 


22  ETHEL  WEED'S   CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  837-844. 

lay  they  form  themselves  into  a  compact  body,  and  carry 
their  arms  against  Egbert  king  of  the  Angles.  Egbert 
therefore  having  ascertained  the  state  of  things  beforehand, 
assembled  his  army  and  twice  imbued  their  weapons  in  the 
blood  of  the  Britons  at  Hengeston,*  and  put  them  to  flight. 

A.  837.  At  the  end  of  a  year  the  powerful  king  Egbert 
died. 

Chap.  III. — Of  the  reign  of  Ethelwulf  and  of  hit  deeds. 

After  his  death,  Athulf  f  succeeded  to  the  throne  of  his 
father  Egbert,  and  he  delivered  up  the  kingdom  of  Kent  to 
his  son  Athelstan,  together  with  East- Saxony,  South- Saxony, 
and  Surrey,  i.  e.  the  eastern,  southern  and  midland  parts. 

A.  838.  After  one  year,  duke  Wulfherd  fought  with  the 
pagan  fleet  near  the  town  of  Hamptun  [Southampton], 
and  having  slain  many  of  them  gained  the  victory :  the 
number  of  ships  in  the  fleet  was  thirty-three.  After  this 
exploit  the  duke  himself  died  in  peace.  The  same  year 
duke  Ethelhelm,  with  the  people  of  the  province  of  Dorset, 
fought  another  battle  against  the  pagan  army  at  Port,  and 
pursued  them  some  distance :  but  afterwards  the  Danes 
were  victorious,  and  slew  the  duke  and  his  companions  with 
him. 

A.  839.  After  one  year  duke  Herebert  was  slain  by  the 
Danes  at  Merswarum  ;$  and  the  same  year  a  great  slaughter 
was  made  by  that  army  in  the  city  of  Iindsey,  and  in  the 
province  of  Kent,  and  in  East  Anglia. 

A.  840.  Also  after  one  year,  the  same  thing  took  place  in  H| 
the  city  of  London,  in  Quintanwic  [Canterbury],  and  in  the 
town  of  Rochester. 

A.  841.  Meanwhile,  after  one  year  king  Ethelwulf  fought    « 
against  the  Danes  at  a  place  called  Charmouth,  by  whom  also 
he  was  vanquished,  and  the  victors  kept  possession  of  the 
ground. 

A.  844.  Three    years   afterwards    duke    Eanwulf,   who 
governed  the  province  of  Somerset,   and  bishop   Ealstan 
also,  and  Osric  duke  of  Dorset,  fought  a  battle  against  the 
pagans  at  the  mouth  of  the  Parret  before-mentioned ;  where 
*  Hengston-hill,  Cornwall. 
+  Generally  called  Ethelwulf  by  modern  writers. 
X  Romncy  Marsh. 


A.D,  851-855.]  ALFRED  CONSECRATED  KINO.  23 

they  gained  the  victory,  having  defeated  the  Danish  army. 
Also  in  the  same  year  king  Athelstan  and  duke  Elchere 
fought  against  the  army  of  the  above-mentioned  nation  in 
the  province  of  Kent,  near  the  town  of  Sandwich,  where 
they  slew  many  of  them,  put  their  troops  to  flight,'  and  took 
nine  ships. 

A.  851.  After  seven  years  Ceorl  duke  of  Devon  fought  a 
battle  against  the  pagans  at  Wembury,*  where  they  slew  many 
of  the  Danes  and  gained  the  victory.  In  the  course  of  the 
same  year,  the  barbarians  wintered  first  in  the  isle  of  Thanet, 
which  lies  not  far  from  Britain,  and  has  fruitful  but  not  large 
corn  fields.  That  year  was  not  yet  finished,  when  a  large  fleet 
of  pagans  arrived,  350  ships,  at  the  mouth  of  the  river 
Thames,  commonly  called  Thames-mouth,  and  destroyed  the 
city  of  Canterbury  and  the  city  of  London,  and  put  to  flight 
Berthwulf  king  of  Mercia,  having  defeated  his  army.  After 
the  battle  they  returned  beyond  the  river  Thames  towards 
the  south  through  the  province  of  Surrey,  and  there  king 
Ethelwulf  with  the  Western  Angles  met  them  :  an  immense 
number  was  slain  on  both  sides,  nor  have  we  ever  heard  of  a 
more  severe  battle  before  that  day :  these  things  happened 
near  Ockley  Wood. 

A.  854.  After  three  years  king  Burhred  asked  assistance 
from  king  Ethelwulf  to  subdue  the  Northern  Britons :  he 
granted  it,  and  having  collected  his  army,  passed  through 
the  Mercian  kingdom  to  go  against  the  Britons :  whom  he 
subdued  and  made  tributary.  In  the  same  year  king 
Ethelwulf  sent  his  son  Alfred  to  Rome,  in  the  days  of  our 
lord  pope  Leo,f  who  consecrated  him  king  and  named  him 
his  son  in  baptism,  when  we  are  accustomed  to  name  little 
children,  when  we  receive  them  from  the  bishop's  hand.  In 
the  same  year  where  fought  battles  in  the  isle  of  Thanet 
against  the  pagans ;  and  there  was  a  great  slaughter  made 
on  both  sides,  and  many  were  drowned  in  the  sea.  The 
same  year  also  after  Easter  king  Ethelwulf  gave  his  daughter 
in  marriage  to  king  Burhred. 

A.  855.  After  a  year  the  pagans  wintered  in  Sheppey.  In 
the  same  year  king  Ethelwulf  gave  the  tenth  of  all  his 
possessiosn  to  be  the  Lord's  portion,  and  so  appointed  it  to 

•  Near  Fljmouth.  t  Leo  the  Fourth. 


24  ETHELWERD'S   CHRONICLE.  [a.d.837. 

be  in  all  the  government  of  his  kingdom.  In  the  same  year 
he  set  out  to  Rome  with  great  dignity,  and  stayed  there 
twelve  months.  As  he  returned  home,  therefore,  to  his 
country,  Charles,  king  of  the  Franks,  gave  him  his  daughter 
in  marriage,  and  he  took  her  home  with  him  to  his  own 
country. 

A.  857.  Lastly,  after  a  year  king  Ethelwulf  died,  and  his 
body  reposes  in  the  city  of  Winchester.  Now  the  aforesaid 
king  was  son  of  king  Egbert,  and  his  grandfather  was 
Elmund,  his  great-grandfather  Eafa,  his  great-grandfather's 
father  was  Eoppa,  and  his  great-grandfather's  grandfather 
was  Ingild,  brother  of  Ina,  king  of  the  Western- Angles,  who 
ended  his  life  at  Rome  ;  and  the  above-named  kings  derived 
their  origin  from  king  Kenred.  Kenred  was  the  son  of 
Ceolwald,  son  of  Cuthwin,  son  of  Ceawlin,  son  of  Cynric, 
son  of  Cerdic,  who  also  was  the  first  possessor  of  the 
western  parts  of  Britain,  after  he  had  defeated  the  armies  of 
the  Britons  :  his  father  was  Elesa,  son  of  Esla,  son  of  Gewis, 
son  of  Wig,  son  of  Freawin,  son  of  Frithogar,  son  of  Brond, 
son  of  Beldeg,  son  of  Woden,  son  of  Frithowald,  son  of 
Frealaf,  son  of  Frithuwulf,  son  of  Finn,  son  of  Godwulf,  son 
of  Great,  son  of  Taetwa,  son  of  Beaw,  son  of  Sceldi,  son  of 
Sceaf.  This  Sceaf  came  with  one  ship  to  an  island  of  the 
ocean  named  Scani,  sheathed  in  arms,  and  he  was  a  young 
boy,  and  unknown  to  the  people  of  that  land  ;  but  he  was 
received  by  them,  and  they  guarded  him  as  their  own  with 
much  care,  and  afterwards  chose  him  for  their  king.  It  is 
from  him  that  king  Ethelwulf  derives  his  descent.  And 
then  was  completed  the  fiftieth  year  from  the  beginning  of 
king  Egbert's  reign. 

HEBE  ENDS  THE  THIRD  BOOK, 
AND  THE  PROLOGUE  OP  THE  FOURTH  BOOK  HERE  BEGINS. 

Three  books  are  now  finished,  and  it  remains  to  guide  my 
pen  to  the  fourth,  in  which  also  will  be  found  greater  gain, 
and  the  origin  of  our  race  is  more  clearly  intimated.  And, 
although  I  may  seem  to  send  you  a  load  of  reading,  dearest 
sister  of  my  desire,  do  not  judge  mie  harshly,  but  as  my 
writings  were  in  love  to  you,  so  may  you  read  them. 

And  may  God  Almighty,  who  is  praised  both  in  Trinity 


aj).  860— 807.]  ETHELBALD  AND   ETHELRED.  25 

and  in  Unipotence  ever  preserve  you  under  the  shadow  of 
his  wings,  and  your  companions  with  you.     Amen  ! 

HEBE  ENDS  THE  PROLOGUE. 


Chap.  I. — Of  the  reign  of  the  sons  of  king  Ethehoulf,  namely  Ethelbald 
and  Etheibert. 

Meanwhile,  after  the  death  of  king  Ethelwulf,  his  sons  were 
raised  to  the  kingdom,  namely  Ethelbald  over  the  Western 
Angles,  and  Etheibert  over  the  men  of  Kent,  and  the 
Eastern,  Southern,  and  Midland  Angles. 

A.  861.  When  five  years  were  completed,  king  Ethelbald 
died,  and  his  brother  Etheibert  succeeded  to  the  possessions 
of  both.  In  those  days  a  large  fleet  of  pagans  came  to  land, 
and  destroyed  the  royal  city  which  is  called  Winton.  They 
were  encountered  by  Osric  duke  of  Hampshire,  and  Ethel- 
wulf duke  of  Berkshire  :  a  battle  ensued  ;  the  pagans  were 
routed,  and  the  English  gained  the  victory. 

A.  865.  After  four  years,  from  the  death  of  king  Ethel- 
bald, the  pagans  strengthened  their  position  in  the  isle  of 
Thanet,  and  promise  to  be  at  peace  with  the  men  of  Kent, 
who  on  their  part  prepare  money,  ignorant  of  the  future. 
But  the  Danes  break  their  compact,  and  sallying  out 
privately  by  night,  lay  waste  all  the  eastern  coast  of  Kent. 

A.  866.  After  one  year  king  Etheibert  died,  and  his  body 
rests  peaceably  in  the  monastery  named  Sherborne 

Chap.  II. — Of  (he  reign  of  king  Ethelred. 

Ethelred  succeeded  to  the  throne  after  the  death  of  his 
brother  Etheibert.  In  the  same  year  the  fleets  of  the  tyrant 
Hingwar  arrived  in  England  from  the  north,  and  wintered 
among  the  East  Angles,  and  having  established  their  arms 
there,  they  get  on  their  horses,  and  make  peace  with  all  the 
inhabitants  in  their  own  neighbourhood. 

A.  867.  After  one  year  that  army,  leaving  the  eastern 
parts,  crossed  the  river  Humber  into  Northumberland  to  the 
city  of  Evoric,  which  is  now  commonly  called  the  city  oi 
Eoferwic  [York].  For  there  was  then  a  great  civil  dissen- 
sion between  the  inhabitants  of  that  land,  and  they  were  so 
enraged  that  they  also  expelled  their  king  Osbert  from  his 


26  ETHELWERD's  CHRONICLE.  [a.d.  868-871. 

seat ;  and  having  confirmed  their  resolves,  they  chose  an 
obscure  person  for  their  king  ;  and  after  some  delay  they 
turned  their  thoughts  to  raise  an  army  and  repulse  those  who 
were  advancing.  They  collected  together  no  small  bodies  of 
troops,  and  reconnoitred  the  enemy :  their  rage  was  excited : 
they  joined  battle,  a  miserable  slaughter  took  place  on  both 
sides,  and  the  kings  were  slain.  Those  of  them  who  were 
left  made  peace  with  the  hostile  army. 

In  the  same  year  died  Eanwulf,  duke  of  Somerset ;  also 
bishop  Ealstan,  fifty  years  after  his  succession  to  the  bishop- 
ric, in  the  diocese  called  Sherborne.  There  also  his  body 
now  reposes ;  and  that  of  the  above-named  duke  in  the 
monastery  called  Glastonbury. 

A.  868.  After  one  year  therefore,  the  army  of  the  pagans, 
of  whose  arrival  we  have  spoken  above,  measured  out  their 
camp  in  a  place  called  Snotingaham  [Nottingham],  and  there 
they  passed  the  winter,  and  Burhred  king  of  the  Mercians, 
with  his  nobles,  consented  to  their  remaining  there  without 
reproach. 

A.  869.  At  the  end  of  a  year  therefore,  the  army  was 
transported  to  York,  and  there  also  they  measured  out  their 
camp  in  the  winter  season. 

A.  870.  Again  after  a  year  they  departed,  and  passed 
through  Mercia  into  East-Anglia,  and  there  measured  out 
their  camp  for  the  winter  at  Thetford.  King  Edmund  car- 
ried on  war  against  them  for  a  short  time,  but  he  was  slain 
there  by  them,  and  his  body  lies  entombed  at  a  place  called 
Beodoricsworthe,*  and  the  barbarians  obtained  the  victory, 
but  with  the  loss  of  their  king  soon  afterwards  :  for  king 
Hingwar  died  the  same  year  ;  archbishop  Ceolnoth  also  died 
that  same  year,  and  is  buried  in  the  city  of  Canterbury. 

A.  871.  After  one  year  therefore  the  army  of  the  barba- 
rians above-mentioned  set  out  for  Reading,  and  the  principal 
object  of  the  impious  crew  was  to  attack  the  West- Saxons ; 
and  three  days  after  they  came,  their  two  consuls,  forgetting 
that  they  were  not  on  board  their  fleet,  rode  proudly  through 
fields  and  meadows  on  horseback,  which  nature  had  denied 
to  them.  J 

•  Bury  St.  Edmunds,  Suffolk. 

*f*  I  shall  be  glad  if  my  readers  will  find  a  better  translation  for  this 
obscure  and  inflated  passage. 


A.D.871.J  DT7KB  ETHELWULF   SLAIN.  27 

But  duke  Ethelwulf  met  them,  and  though  his  troops  were 
few,  their  hearts  resided  in  brave  dwellings  :  they  point 
their  darts,  they  rout  the  enemy,  and  triumph  in  abundant 
spoils.  At  length  four  days  after  their  meeting,  Ethelred 
arrives  with  his  army ;  an  indescribable  battle  is  fought, 
now  these,  now  those  urge  on  the  fight  with  spears  immove- 
able ;  duke  Ethelwulf  falls,  who  a  short  time  before  had 
obtained  the  victory :  the  barbarians  at  last  triumph.  The 
body  of  the  above-named  duke  is  privately  withdrawn,  and 
carried  into  the  province  of  the  Mercians,  to  a  place  called 
Northworthig,  but  Derby  in  the  language  of  the  Danes. 
Four  days  after  king  Ethelred  with  his  brother  Alfred  fought 
again  with  all  the  army  of  the  Danes  at  JEscesdune  ;*  and 
there  was  great  slaughter  on  both  sides :  but  at  last  king 
Ethelred  obtained  the  victory.  But  it  is  proper  that  I  should 
declare  the  names  of  those  chiefs  who  fell  there  :  Bagsac 
king,  the  veteran  Sidrac  their  consul,  the  younger  Sidrac 
also,  the  consul  Osbern,  the  consul  Frene,  the  consul  Harold ; 
and,  so  to  speak,  all  the  flower  of  the  barbarian  youth  was 
there  slain,  so  that  neither  before  nor  since  was  ever  such 
destruction  known  since  the  Saxons  first  gained  Britain  by 
their  arms. 

Fourteen  days  after,  they  again  took  courage  and  a  second 
battle  was  fought  at  a  place  called  Basing  :  the  barbarians 
came  and  took  part  over  against  them  ;  the  fight  began,  and 
hope  passed  from  the  one  side  to  the  other ;  the  royal 
army  was  deceived,  the  enemy  had  the  victory,  but  gained  no 
spoils. 

Furthermore  after  two  months  the  aforesaid  king  Ethelred 
renewed  the  battle,  and  with  him  was  his  brother  Alfred,  at 
Merton,  against  all  the  army  of  the  barbarians,  and  a  large 
number  was  slain  on  both  sides.  The  barbarians  obtained 
the  victory  ;  bishop  Heahmund  there  fell  by  the  sword,  and 
his  body  lies  buried  at  Caegineshamme-t  Many  others  also 
fell  or  fled  in  that  battle,  concerning  whom  it  seems  to  be  a 
loss  of  time  to  speak  more  minutely  at  present.  Lastly, 
after  the  above-mentioned  battle,  and  after  the  Easter  of  the 
same  year,  died  king  Ethelred,  from  whose  family  I  derive 
my  origin. 

*  See  William  of  Malmesbury,  b.  ii.  c.  3,  p.  Ill,  note.  t  Keynsham. 


28  ethelwekd's  chronicle.  [a.d.  gn. 

And  now  I  have  followed  up  my  plan,  dear  cousin  Matilda, 
and  will  begin  to  consolidate  my  subject ;  and  like  a  ship 
which,  having  sailed  a  long  way  over  the  waves,  already 
occupies  the  port,  to  which  in  her  patient  voyage  she  had 
been  tending  :  so  we,  like  sailors,  are  already  entering,  and 
as  I  briefly  intimated  to  you  in  my  former  epistle,  so  also  in 
the  prefaces  to  this  present  book,  and  without  any  impro- 
priety I  again  remind  you,  and  though  I  cut  short  the  course 
of  that  which  is  visionary,  not  impelled  by  necessity,  but 
through  love  of  your  affection,  I  now  send  it  you  again  more 
fully  to  be  meditated  upon  concerning  the  origin  of  our 
family,  and  sufficiently  embrace  the  study  of  your  sincerity.* 

Thus  far  then  :  I  will  now  leave  obscurity  and  begin  to 
speak  concerning  the  sons  of  Ethelwulf.  They  were  five  in 
number  :  the  first  was  Ethelstan,  who  also  shared  the  king- 
dom with  his  father:  the  second  was  Ethelbald,  who  also 
was  king  of  the  Western  English :  the  third  was  Ethelbert* 
king  of  Kent :  the  fourth  was  Ethelred,  who  after  the  death 
of  Ethelbert  succeeded  to  the  kingdom,  and  was  also  my 
grandfather's  grandfather :  the  fifth  was  Alfred,  who  suc- 
ceeded after  all  the  others  to  the  whole  sovereignty,  and  was 
your  grandfather's  grandfather.  Wherefore  I  make  known 
to  you,  my  beloved  cousin  Matilda,  that  I  receive  these  things 
from  ancient  tradition,  and  have  taken  care  in  most  brief 
style  to  write  the  history  of  our  race  down  to  these  two 
kings,  from  whom  we  have  taken  our  origin.  To  you  there- 
fore, most  beloved,  I  devote  this  work,  compelled  by  the  love 
of  our  relationship  :  if  others  receive  them  with  haughtiness, 
they  will  be  judged  unworthy  of  the  feast ;  if  otherwise,  we 
advise  all  in  charity  to  gather  what  is  set  before  them.  Let 
us  return  then  to  the  story  that  we  broke  off,  and  to  the 
death  of  the  above-named  Ethelred.  His  reign  lasted  fire 
years,  and  he  is  buried  in  the  monastery  which  goes  by  the 
name  of  Wimborne. 

Chap.  III. — Of  the  reign  of  king  Alfred, 

A.  871.  After  these  things,  Alfred  obtained  the  kingdom 
when  his  brothers  were  dead, — he  also  was  the  youngest  son 
of  king  Ethelwulf— over  all  the  provinces  of  Britain. 

*  I  must  again  request  the  reader  to  pardon  the  obscurity  which  so  fre- 
quently occurs  in  our  author's  style,  and  my  inability  to  deal  with  such  pas- 
sages ;  the  above  is  a  tolerably  close  translation  of  the  original. 


a.d.  871— 874.]  TBBATT  OF  PEACE.  29 

There  came  a  summer-army  innumerable  to  Reading,  and 
were  eager  to  fight  against  the  army  of  the  West-Angles  :  to 
their  aid  also  came  those  who  had  already  long  time  been 
ravaging.  But  the  army  of  the  Angles  at  that  time  was 
small  on  account  of  the  king's  absence,  who  at  the  same  time 
had  performed  his  brother's  obsequies,  and  although  their 
ranks  were  not  full,  yet  their  hearts  were  firm  in  their 
breasts,  they  rejoice  in  the  fight,  and  repel  the  enemy  :  but 
at  length  oppressed  with  fatigue,  they  cease  from  the  fight. 
The  barbarians  hold  possession  of  a  sterile  field  of  battle  : 
afterwards  also  they  spread  themselves  and  ravage  the 
country*  During  their  foul  domination,  there  were  three 
battles'  fought  by  the  Angles,  besides  the  battles  before- 
mentioned,  and  eleven  of  their  consuls,  whom  they  call 
"earls,"/ were  slain,  and  one  of  their  kings.  Lastly,  in  the 
same  year  the  Eastern  Angles  made  peace  with  them.  And 
the  number  of  years  to  the  encamping  of  the  barbarian 
army  in  Reading  and  to  the  death  of  king  Ethelred  and  the 
succession  of  his  brother  Alfred  was  the  seventy-first  from 
the  time  that  Egbert  had  first  consolidated  the  kingdom,  and 
forty-seven  from  the  time  that  the  Mercians  and  Western 
Angles  carried  on  civil  wars  at  the  place  called  Ellandune,* 
and  king  Egbert  received  the  name  of  victor  twenty-six 
years  from  the  time  that  the  battle  was  fought  in  Pedredan 
[Petherton]  ;  and  twenty  years  after  the  contest  which  was 
waged  near  the  wood  called  Ockley,  and  lastly  five  years 
from  the  arrival  of  the  pagans  in  the  country  of  the  East 
Angles :  and  without  long  delay,  they  then  went  to  Reading. 

A.  872.  After  a  year  had  elapsed  from  the  time  of  their 
coming  to  Reading,  they  measured  out  their  camp  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  the  city  of  London.  But  the  Mercians 
ratify  a  treaty  with  them,  and  pay  a  stipend. 

A.  873.  After  one  year  the  barbarians  change  their 
position  to  the  neighbourhood  of  the  city  of  Lindsey  in  a 
place  called  Torksey.  The  Mercian  people  renew  their 
treaty  with  them. 

A.  874.  After  the  lapse  of  a  year,  the  barbarians  at  length 
remove  to  a  place  called  Repton,  and  drive  king  Burhred 
from  the  kingdom  beyond  the  sea.     Twenty  and  two  years 

•  Allington,  Wiltshire. 


30  ETHEL WERD'S   CHRONICLE.  [A.D.  87«-*77. 

are  enumerated  from  the  time  that  he  first  occupied  his 
father's  kingdom.  They  now  break  the  peace,  and  devastate 
the  lands  of  the  Mercians.  The  above-named  king  did  not 
abandon  his  hope  in  Christ,  but  made  a  journey  to  Borne  and 
died  there,  and  his  body,  laid  in  a  worthy  mausoleum,  reposes 
in  the  temple  of  Christ's  blessed  mother,  which  is  now  called 
the  school  of  the  English.  At  the  same  time  Ceolwulf 
possessed  the  kingdom  of  the  Mercians. 

A.  875.  Lastly  after  a  year,  the  barbarians  divide  the 
kingdom  into  two  parts :  and  Halfdene  the  leader  of  the 
barbarians  took  one  part,  namely  the  kingdom  of  the 
Northumbrians,  and  there  he  chose  his  winter-quarters  near 
the  river  called  the  Tyne,  and  tjiey  ravaged  the  country 
there  on  every  side.  But  they  also  made  frequent  wars  on 
the  Picts  and  the  men  of  Cumberland.  Oskytel  also,  and 
Grothrun,  and  Anwind,  their  three  kings,  with  an  immense 
army,  came  from  Repton  to  a  place  called  Grantabridge 
[Cambridge],  and  there  remained  twelve  months.  Further- 
more in  the  summer  of  the  same  year,  king  Alfred  came  out 
with  his  army  on  board  a  fleet  by  sea,  and  the  barbarians 
met  them  with  seven  tall  vessels.  A  battle  ensues,  and 
the  Danes  are  routed :  the  king  takes  one  of  their  ships. 

A.  876.  After  one  year,  the  tyrant  Halfdene  obtained  the 
kingdom  of  the  Northumbrians,  all  of  whom  he  reduced  to 
subjection.  And  in  the  course  of  the  same  year,  the  army 
which  had  been  at  Cambridge  made  a  junction  with  the 
western  army,  a  thing  which  they  had  not  done  before,  near 
the  town  which  is  called  Wareham,  and  ravaged  the  greater 
part  of  that  province.  Also  the  king  ratified  a  treaty  of 
peace  with  them  and  gave  them  money.  But  they  gave  him 
hostages  chosen  out  of  their  army,  and  made  oath  to  him  on 
their  sacred  bracelet  which  they  had  never  done  to  the  kings 
of  the  other  districts,  that  they  would  quickly  leave  their 
territories. 

A.  877.  But  they  broke  the  peace  and  contravened  their 
engagements,  and  the  following  year  extended  their  troops 
into  the  province  of  Devon,  where  they  passed  the  winter  at 
Exeter.  Lastly  their  fleets  put  to  sea  and  spread  their  sails 
to  the  wind  :  but  a  lamentable  storm  came  on,  and  the 
greatest  part  of  them,  namely  a  hundred  of  their  chief  ships, 
were  sunk  near  the  rock  which  is  called  Swanwich.     The 


id.  878.]  KINO  OF   THE  DANES  BAPTIZED.  31 

barbarians  renew  their  fraud  and  offer  peace  :  hostages  were 
given,  more  than  were  demanded,  to  the  effect  that  they  would 
withdraw  out  of  the  territories  of  king  Alfred  ;  and  they  did 
so.  They  devastate  the  kingdom  of  the  Mercians  and  drive 
out  all  the  free  men.  They  erect  their  huts  in  the  town  of 
Gloucester. 

A.  878.  At  the  end  of  that  year  therefore  this  foul  mob 
broke  the  compact  which  they  had  before  solemnly  made  with 
the  Western  Angles,  and  they  take  up  their  winter-quarters 
at  Chippenham.  The  people  were  everywhere  unable  to 
resist :  some  of  them  were  driven  by  the  impious  wretches 
over  the  sea  into  Gaul.  King  Alfred  was  at  this  time 
straitened  more  than  was  becoming.  Ethelnoth  also  duke  of 
Somerset  lived  with  a  narrow  retinue  in  a  certain  wood,  and 
they  built  a  strong-hold  in  the  island  of  Athelingay,*  which 
seems  to  have  been  situated  in  a  marsh.  But  the  aforesaid 
king  fought  daily  battles  against  the  barbarians,  having  with 
him  the  province  of  Somerset  only ;  no  others  assisted  him, 
except  the  servants  who  made  use  of  the  king's  pastures.  In 
the  same  year  arrived  Halfdene  brother  of  the  tyrant 
Hingwar  with  thirty  galleys,  in  the  western  parts  of  the 
Angles,  and  besieged  Odda  duke  of  Devon  in  a  certain 
castle,  and  war  was  stirred  up  on  all  sides.  The  king  of  the 
barbarians  fell,  and  eighty  decads  with  him.  At  last  the 
Danes  obtain  the  victory. 

Meanwhile,  after  the  Easter  f  of  that  year,  king  Alfred 
fought  against  the  army  that  was  in  Chippenham,  at  a  place 
called  Ethandune,J  and  they  obtain  the  victory.  But  after 
the  decision  of  the  battle,  the  barbarians  promise  peace,  ask 
a  truce,  give  hostages,  and  bind  themselves  by  oath :  their 
king  submits  to  be  baptized,  and  Alfred  the  king  receives 
him  from  the  laver  in  the  marshy  isle  of  Alney.§  Duke 
Ethelnoth  also  purified  the  same  at  a  place  called  Wed- 
more,  and  king  Alfred  there  bestowed  upon  him  magnificent 
honors. 

*  Athelney,  no  longer  an  island  is  situated  near  Borough-bridge  in 
Somersetshire. 

f  Easter  Day  was  the  23rd  of  March  in  the  year  878.      t  Heddington. 

$  Some  suppose  that  this  is  Aller  near  Athelingay,  or  Athelney;  but 
Athelney  itself  is  called  Alney  by  the  common  people:  it  is  therefore  more 
likely  that  Athelingay  and  Alney  were  the  same  place,  as  they  are  at 
present 


32  ETHELWEBD's  CHRONICLE.  La.d.  87*-88flL 

A.  879.  After  a  year  from  the  time  of  the  pagan  army 
leaving  Gloucester,  they  marched  to  Cirencester,  and  there 
wintered.  In  the  course  of  the  same  year  the  sun  was 
eclipsed. 

A.  880.  A  year  after  the  eclipse,  the  aforesaid  army 
struck  their  tents,  and  leaving  Cirencester  went  into  the 
country  of  the  East  Angles,  and  pitching  their  camp,  re- 
duced all  the  inhabitants  of  those  parts  to  subjection.  And 
it  was  now  fourteen  years  since  the  barbarians  first  wintered 
in  the  country  aforesaid,  and  ravaged  it.  In  the  same  year, 
when  they  had  reduced  the  district  aforesaid,  they  went  in 
a  vessel  to  Gaul  and  took  up  a  position  at  a  place  called 
Ghent :  the  same  men  who  had  formerly  measured  out  their 
camp  at  a  place  called  Fulham. 

A.  881.  After  a  year,  they  attempt  to  proceed  further; 
but  the  armies  of  the  Franks  assail  them  and  gain  the  vic- 
tory ;  the  barbarians  were  put  to  flight. 

A.  882.  After  a  year  the  aforesaid  army  passed  into  the 
upper  districts  of  the  Maese  and  measured  out  their  camp  at 
a  place  called  Escelum.*  In  the  same  year  king  Alfred 
put  to  sea  and  fell  in  with  four  ships;  which  he  defeated, 
and  destroyed  two,  the  others  surrendered. 

A.  883.  The  next  year  the  aforesaid  army  entered  the 
parishes  of  the  Scald,  f  to  a  place  called  Cundath;f  and 
there  measured  out  their  camp  for  the  winter. 

A.  884.  After  one  year  had  expired,  that  pestilential 
army  aforesaid  removed  to  the  higher  districts  of  the  Somme, 
to  a  place  called  Embenum,§  and  there  wintered. 

A.  885.  After  a  year  they  divide  themselves  into  two 
parts:  one  to  Sofenum,||  the  other  to  Rochester;  and  they 
laid  siege  to  those  towns.  They  also  construct  other  smaller 
camps.  Defeat  prevails  among  the  inhabitants  until  the  ar- 
rival of  king  Alfred  with  an  army.     The  foul  plague  wai 

vanquished,  and  sought  reinforcement %     Some  of  them 

made  for  the  sea-coasts.     The  same  year  they  renewed  their 

*  Aschloha,  or  Ascloha,  is  on  the  Maese,  about  fourteen  miles  from  tht 
Rhine.  f  The  Scheldt.  £  Cond6. 

§  More  commonly  Ambiani,  now  Amiens.  ||  Louvain. 

U  I  acknowledge  my  inability  to  translate  this  and  many  other  passages 
of  this  obscure  author.  The  events  which  here  follow  for  the  next  half 
page  are  referred  by  the  Saxon  Chronicle  to  the  year  894. 


id  885.]  POPE  MARTIN.  33 

league,  and  gave  hostages  to  the  English,  and  twice  in  the 
year  they  counted  the  spoil  which  they  had  obtained  by 
fraud,  in  the  land  which  borders  on  the  southern  bank  of 
the  Thames.  The  filthy  crew  which  were  then  in  possession 
of  the  East  Angles,  suddenly  removed  to  a  place  called  Bam- 
fleet;  and  there  the  allied  band  divided;  some  of  them  re- 
mained, and  some  of  them  went  beyond  the  sea.  In  the 
same  year,  therefore,  the  aforesaid  king  Alfred  sent  his  fleet 
into  the  country  of  the  East  Angles,  and  immediately  on 
their  arrival,  there  met  them  at  a  place  called  Stourmouth 
sixteen  ships,  which  they  forthwith  ravaged,  and  slew  the 
captains  with  the  sword.  The  rest  of  the  pirate-crew  met 
them ;  they  ply  their  oars,  their  armour  shines  over  the  con- 
strained waters,  the  barbarians  obtain  the  victory.  In  the 
same  year  died  Charles  the  Magnificent  king  of  the  Franks, 
cut  off  by  death  before  the  revolution  of  one  year ;  after  him 
came  his  uterine  brother  who  ruled  over  the  western  coasts 
of  Gaul.  Both  were  sons  of  Louis,  who  had  formerly  pos- 
sessed the  sole  sovereignty :  his  life  had  reached  its  termina- 
tion during  the  eclipse  of  the  sun  aforesaid.  He  was  son  of 
the  great  king  Charles,  whose  daughter  Ethelwulf  king  of 
the  English  had  taken  to  wife.  In  the  course  of  that  year, 
a  great  number  of  barbarians  landed  and  filled  the  coasts  of 
the  Old  Saxons ;  two  battles  were  fought  soon  after :  the 
Saxons  were  the  victors,  and  the  Frisons  also  were  present 
in  the  contest.  In  the  same  year  Charles  the  Younger  suc- 
ceeded to  the  sovereignty  of  all  the  western  parts  of  Gaul  as 
far  as  the  Tyrrhenian  sea,  and,  if  I  may  so  speak,  of  the 
dominions  of  his  grandfather,  except  the  province  of  the 
Iddwiccas.*  His  father  was  Lodwicus,  brother  of  the  middle 
Charles  whose  daughter  was  married  to  Ethelwulf  king  of 
the  English.  And  both  of  these  were  sons  of  Lodwicus, 
namely,  Lodwicus  was  son  of  Charlemagne  who  was  the 
son  of  Pepin. 

In  the  same  year  died  the  blessed  pope  Martin,  f  who  also 
gave  freedom  to  the  school  of  the  English,  by  the  appointment 
of  king  Alfred,  and  sent  as  a  present  part  of  the  thrice  blessed 
cross  of  Christ,  who  is  the  salvation  of  the  world.  In  the 
course  of  that  year,  the  above-named  pestilential  crew  broke 
their  engagements,  and  marched  in  arms  against  king  Alfred. 

*  Armorica,  or  Bretagne.         f  This  should  be  Marinus,  not  Martinus. 


34  ETHELWERD'S  CHRONICLE.  (a.d.  887-88SL 

Lastly,  after  a  year,  they  went  to  the  lower  parts  of  Gad, 
and  fixed  on  a  place  to  winter  near  the  river  Seine.  Mean- 
while, the  city  of  London  was  fortified  by  king  Alfred,  whom 
no  civil  discord  could  subdue,  either  by  cunning  or  by  force: 
all  men  received  him  as  a  saviour,  and  particularly  the  Sax- 
ons— except  the  barbarians — and  those  who  were  then  held 
prisoners  in  their  hands.  Also,  after  his  army  was  strength-'  • 
ened,  Ethered  was  appointed  leader  there  by  the  aforesaid 
king,  to  guard  the  citadel. 

A.  887.  Now  the  army  which  were  at  that  time  ravaging 
the  country  of  Gaul  cut  their  way  through  the  bridge  of  the 
citadel  of  Paris,  and  devastated  the  whole  country  along  the 
Seine,  as  far  as  the  Marne,  and  above  its  vertex,  as  far  as 
Catsig  [Chezy] ,  where  they  thrice  fixed  their  winter  quarters. 
In  the  same  year  also  died  Charles,  king  of  the  Franks,  and  his 
cousin  Arnulf  succeeded  to  the  kingdom,  seven  years  before 
his  uncle's  death.  The  kingdom  was  then  divided  into  five, 
and  so  many  kings  in  the  same  :  but  all  things  are  done  by 
the  permission  of  king  Arnulf,  and  they  promised  to  be  all 
under  his  subjection,  because  they  were  not  like  him,  de- 
scended from  the  paternal  stock  ;  and  he  lived  after  this  on 
the  eastern  side  of  the  river  Rhine.  But  Rodulf  occupied 
the  middle  parts  of  the  kingdom,  Oda  the  western  parts,  and 
Beorngar  with  Witha  held  the  kingdom  of  the  Lombards 
from  the  division  of  the  Jovian  mountain.*  There  they 
began  a  civil  war  ;  people  assailed  people  ;  the  lands  of  both 
were  continually  disturbed,  nor  was  there  any  hope  of  quiet 

The  same  year,  in  which  the  barbarians  had  settled  on  the 
bridge  of  Paris,  duke  Ethelhelm  received  no  small  part  of  the 
money  paid  from  the  diocese  of  the  English  by  the  king  for 
the  people,  and  went  to  Borne.  In  the  same  year  died 
queen  Ethelswith. 

A.  888.  In  the  lapse  of  the  same  year  also,  archbishop 
Athelred  deceased,  and  Ethelwold,  commander  in  Kent. 

A.  889.  After  one  year,  abbat  Bernhelm  carried  to  Rome 
the  alms  for  the  people,  and  principally  those  of  the  western 
English  and  of  king  Alfred.  Then  also  Gothrun,  king  of 
the  northern  English,  yielded  his  breath  to  Orcus  ;  he  had 
taken  the  name  of  Athelstan,  as  he  came  out  of  the  baptis- 
mal laver,  from  his  godfather,  king  Alfred,  and  had  his  seat 
*  Mount  St.  Barnard. 


(ld.  801    -893. J  DEFEAT  OF  THE  DANE8.  35 

among  the  East- Angles,  since  he  there  also  had  held  the 
first  station. 

In  the  same  year,  the  aforesaid  army  of  barbarians  re- 
moved from  the  river  Seine  to  a  place  called  Santlaudah,* 
situated  between  the  Bretons  and  the  Franks  ;  but  the  Bre- 
tons met  them  in  arms,  and  obtained  the  victory,  and  followed 
them  to  the  windings  of  a  certain  river,  and  there  not  a  few 
of  them  were  drowned  in  the  waters. 

A.  891.  One  year  afterwards,  the  bands  of  the  aforesaid 
army  visited  the  eastern  parts  of  France  ;  king  Arnulf  met 
them  ;  a  fight  of  cavalry  took  place  before  the  fleets  arrived. 
An  army  of  eastern  Franks  came  up,  Saxons  and  Bavarians  ; 
the  pagans  spread  their  sails  to  flee.  In  the  same  year, 
three  chosen  men  of  Hibernian  race,  burning  with  piety, 
leave  their  country :  they  privately  form  a  boat  by  sewing 
ox-hides  ;  they  put  into  it  provisions  for  a  week  ;  they  sail 
seven  days  and  seven  nights,  and  arrive  on  the  shores  of 
Cornwall :  here  they  left  their  fleet,  which  had  been  guided, 
not  by  the  strength  of  their  arms,  but  by  the  power  of  Him 
who  rules  all  things,  and  set  out  for  the  court  of  king  Alfred, 
who  with  his  senate  rejoice  in  their  coming.  From  thence 
they  proceed  to  Rome,  and,  as  is  customary  with  teachers  of 
Christ,  they  essay  to  go  thence  to  Jerusalem  :f  ....  Their 
names  were,  Dubslane,  the  first ;  Macbeth,  the  second ; 
Maelinmun,  the  third,  flourishing  in  the  arts,  skilled  in  let- 
ters, and  a  distinguished  master  of  the  Scots.  Also  in  the 
same  year,  after  Easter  a  comet  appeared,  which  some  think 
to  be  an  omen  of  foul  times,  which  have  already  past ;  but  it 
is  the  most  approved  theory  of  philosophers,  that  they  fore- 
tel  future  things,  as  has  been  tried  in  many  ways. 

A  893.  One  year  after  the  barbarians  fought  against  king 
Arnulf,  they  go  to  Boulogne,  and  there  build  a  fleet,  and  pass 
over  into  England.  There  they  station  their  fleet  in  the  Lim- 
nean  port,  at  a  place  called  Apoldre  [  Appledore,  in  the  eastern 
part  of  Kent,]  and  destroy  an  ancient  castle,  because  there 
was  but  a  small  band  of  rustics  within,  and  there  they  make 
their  winter  camp.  In  the  course  of  this  year,  a  large  fleet  be- 
longing to  Hasten  arrives  on  the  banks  of  the  river  Thames, 

•  Saint  Lo. 

t  I  omit  this  obscure  passage  rather  than  run  the  risk  of  misleading  the 
reader  by  an  inaccurate  translation  of  it. 

d2 


36  ETHELWERD'S  CHRONICLE.  IA.D.8W. 

and  found  a  citadel  on  the  coasts  of  Kent,  at  a  place  called 
Middleton  [Milton]  :  they  encamp  there  the  whole  winter ; 
and  the  number  of  years  that  had  elapsed  from  the  glorious 
nativity  of  our  Saviour  was  nine  hundred,  all  but  seven. 

After  the  Easter  of  that  year,  the  army  which  had  come 
from  Gaul  leave  their  camp,  and  trace  the  intricacies  of  a 
certain  immense  wood,  which  is  called  Andred,  and  they  ex- 
tend as  far  as  the  Western  Angles.  Slowly  as  they  go,  they 
ravage  the  adjoining  provinces,  Hampshire  and  Berkshire : 
these  things  were  told  to  the  heir  of  Edward,  son  of  king 
Alfred,  who  had  been  exercising  himself  in  the  southern 
parts  of  England.  After  this  they  reach  the  Western  An- 
gles, who  meet  then  with  threatening  arms  and  dense  array 
at  Farnham :  they  exult,  freed  by  the  arrival  of  the  prince,  like 
sheep  under  the  protection  of  the  shepherd ;  the  tyrant  is 
wounded,  and  his  troops  are  driven  across  the  river  Thames 
into  the  northern  countries. 

Meanwhile,  the  Danes  are  held  besieged  in  Thorney  isle. 
Earl  Ethered,  setting  out  from  the  city  of  London,  lent  his 
aid  to  the  prince.  The  barbarians  asked  peace  and  a  treaty : 
hostages  are  given,  they  promise  by  oath  to  leave  the  king- 
dom of  the  aforesaid  king  ;  their  words  and  deeds  agree  to- 
gether without  delay.  Lastly,  they  set  out  for  the  country 
of  the  East- Angles,  formerly  governed  by  the  king  Saint 
Edmund,  and  their  ships  fly  round  to  them  from  the  Limnpim 
port  to  Meresige  [Mersey],  a  place  in  Kent. 

In  the  course  of  the  same  year,  Hasten  breaks  away  with 
his  band  from  Bamfleet,  and  devastates  all  Mercia,  until  they 
arrive  at  the  end  of  Britain.  The  army,  which  was  then  in 
the  eastern  part  of  the  country,  supplied  them  with  reinforce- 
ments, and  the  Northumbrian,  in  the  same  way.  The  illus- 
trious duke  Ethelm,  with  a  squadron  of  cavalry,  and  duke 
Ethelnoth,  with  an  army  of  Western- Angles,  followed  be- 
hind them,  and  Ethered,  earl  of  the  Mercians,  pressed  after 
them  with  great  impetuosity.  The  youth  of  both  people 
join  battle,  and  the  Angles  obtain  the  victory.  These  things 
are  said  by  ancient  writers  to  have  been  done  at  Buttington, 
and  the  exertions  of  the  Danes  appeared  futile  ;  they  again  ♦ 
ratify  peace,  give  hostages,  and  promise  to  leave  that  part  of 
the  country.     In  the  same  year  Danaasuda,*  in  Bamfleet,  was 

*  This  must  be  the  fortress  which  Hasten's  men  built  in  Bamfleet 


a.d.  885-001.]  KING  EDWARD.  37 

destroyed  by  the  people,  and  they  divide  the  treasure  among 
them. 

After  this,  Sigeferth,  the  pirate,  lands  from  his  fleet  in 
Nbrthumbria,  and  twice  devastates  the  coast,  after  which  he 
returns  home. 

A.  895.  When  two  years  were  completed,  from  the  time 
that  an  immense  fleet  came  from  Boulogne  to  Limine,  a  town 
of  the  Angles,  duke  Ethelnoth  set  out  from  the  western 
parts  of  the  Angles,  and  goes  from  the  city  of  York  against 
the  enemy,  who  devastate  no  small  tracts  of  land  in  the  king- 
dom of  the  Mercians,  on  the  west  of  Stanford ;  i.  e.  between, 
the  courses  of  the  river  Weolod*  and  a  thick  wood,  called 
Ceoftefne. 

A.  896.  In  the  course  of  one  year  also,  died  Guthfrid, 
king  of  the  Northumbrians,  on  the  birth-day  of  Christ's 
apostle,  St.  Bartholomew,  whose  body  is  buried  at  York,  in 
the  high  church. 

A.  900.  Meanwhile,  after  four  years,  from  the  time  that 
the  above-named  king  died,  there  was  a  great  discord  among 
the  English,  because  the  foul  bands  of  the  Danes  still  re- 
mained throughout  Northumberland.  Lastly,  in  the  same 
year,  king  Alfred  departed  out  of  this  world,  that  immove- 
able pillar  of  the  Western  Saxons,  that  man  full  of  justice, 
bold  in  arms,  learned  in  speech,  and,  above  all  other  things, 
imbued  with  the  divine  instructions.  For  he  had  translated 
into  his  own  language,  out  of  Latin,  unnumbered  volumes,  of 
so  varied  a  nature,  and  so  excellently,  that  the  sorrowful 
book  of  Boethius  seemed,  not  only  to  the  learned,  but  even 
to  those  who  heard  it  read,  as  it  were,  brought  to  life  again. 
The  monarch  died  on  the  seventh  day  before  the  solemnity 
of  All  Saints,  and  his  body  rests  in  peace  in  the  city  of  Win- 
ton.  Pray,  O  reader,  to  Christ  our  Redeemer,  that  he  will 
save  his  soul ! 

Chap.  IV. — Of  the  reign  of  king  Edward,  and  of  his  wars. 

A.  901.  The  successor  to  the  throne  was  Edward,  son  of 
the  above-named  king.  He  was  elected  by  the  nobles,  and 
crowned  with  the  royal  crown  on  Whitsunday,  one  hundred 
years  having  elapsed  since  his  great  grandfather,  Egbert, 

*  Welland,  Northamptonshire. 


88  ETHEL  WEED'S  CHRONICLE.  [a.x>  002-00* 

had  gained  his  present  territories.  In  the  same  year  Ethel* 
bald  received,  in  the  city  of  London,  the  bishopric  of  the 
city  of  York ;  and,  it  appears,  that  the  number  of  years  com- 
pleted, since  Christ  came  in  the  flesh,  was  nine  hundred  fulL 

A.  902.  After  two  years  was  the  battle  of  Holme.*  ..... 
Five  days  after  the  festival  of  the  blessed  mother,  they 
lock  together  their  shields,  brandish  their  swords,  and  vi- 
brate their  lances  in  both  hands.  There  fell  duke  Siwulf 
and  Sigelm,  and  almost  all  the  Kentish  nobility:  and 
Eohric,  king  of  the  barbarians,  there  descended  to  Orcus: 
two  princes  of  the  English,  in  the  flower  of  their  youth,  there 
yield  up  the  breath  of  life,  and  explore  the  foreign  regions, 
under  the  waves  of  Acheron,  and  numbers  of  full-grown  men 
fall  on  both  sides.  The  barbarians  remain  victors,  and  tri- 
umph on  the  field  of  battle. 

A.  905.  At  length,  after  three  years,  the  number  of  year* 
completed  since  the  beginning  of  the  world,  was  six  thousand 
and  one  hundred. 

A.  908.  After  three  years  archbishop  Plegmund  inaugu* 
rized,  in  the  city  of  Winchester,  a  lofty  tower,  which  had 
been  recently  founded  in  honour  of  Mary,  the  mother  of 
God.  The  pontiff  aforesaid,  in  the  course  of  the  same  year, 
carried  to  Rome  the  alms  for  the  people,  and  for  king 
Edward. 

A.  909.  After  one  year  the  barbarians  break  their  compact 
with  king  Edward,  and  with  earl  Ethered,  who  then  ruled 
the  provinces  of  Northumberland  and  Mercia.  The  lands  of 
the  Mercians  are  laid  waste  on  all  sides  by  the  hosts  afore- 
said, as  far  as  the  streams  of  the  Avon,  where  begins  the 
frontier  of  the  West- Saxons  and  the  Mercians.  Thence  they 
pass  over  the  river  Severn  into  the  western  regions,  and 
gained  by  their  devastations  no  little  booty.  But  when  they 
had  withdrawn  homewards,  rejoicing  in  their  rich  spoils, 
they  passed  over  a  bridge  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  river 
Severn,  at  a  place  commonly  called  Cantabridge,  f  the  troops 
of  the  Mercians  and  West- Saxons  met  them :  a  battle  ensued, 

*  The  particulars  recorded  in  this  passage,  concerning  the  battle  of 
Holme,  are  ascribed,  by  Florence  of  Worcester  and  the  Saxon  Chronicle, 
to  another  battle,  fought  three  years  later.  This  caused  Petrie  to  suppote^ 
that  the  paragraph  in  question  had  slipped  out  of  its  real  place. 

+  Cambridge,  in  Gloucestershire. 


a.».  no— 839.]  KING  ATHELSTAN.  39 

and  in  the  plain  of  Wodnesfield  the  English  obtained  the 
victory :  the  Danish  army  fled,  overwhelmed  by  the  darts  of 
their  enemies:  these  things  are  said  to  have  been  done  on 
the  fifth  day  of  August ;  and  their  three  kings  fell  there  in 
that  turmoil  or  battle,  namely,  Halfdene,  Ecwils,  and  Hing- 
war :  they  lost  their  sovereignty,  and  descended  to  the  court 
of  the  infernal  king,  and  their  elders  an4  nobles  with  them. 

A.  910.  After  one  year,  Ethered,  who  survived  of  the 
Mercians,  departed  this  life,  and  was  buried  peacefully  in  the 
city  of  Gloucester. 

A.  912.  After  two  years,  died  Athulf  in  Northumbria  ; 
he  was  at  that  time  commander  of  the  town  called  Bebban- 
burgh.* 

A.  913.  After  a  year,  a  fleet  entered  the  mouth  of  the 
river  Severn,  but  no  severe  battle  was  fought  there  that 
year.  Lastly,  the  greater  part  of  that  army  go  to  Ireland, 
formerly  called  Bretannis  by  the  great  Julius  Caesar. 

A  914.  After  one  year,  the  day  of  Christ's  nativity  fell 
on  a  Sunday ;  and  so  great  was  the  tranquillity  of  that 
winter,  that  no  one  can  remember  anything  like  it  either 
before  or  since. 

A  917.  After  three  years,  Ethelfled  the  king's  sister 
departed  this  life,  and  her  body  lies  buried  at  Gloucester. 

A  926.  Also  in  the  ninth  year  died  Edward,  king  of  the 
English.  This  was  the  end ;  his  name  and  his  pertinacity 
here  ceased. 

Chap.  V.-r-Ofthe  reign  of  king  Athelstan,  his  wars  and  deeds, 

A  926.  The  year  in  which  the  stout  king  Athelstan 
gained  the  crown  of  the  kingdom,  was  the  nine  hundred  and 
twenty-sixth  from  the  glorious  incarnation  of  our  Saviour. 

A.  939.  Therefore,  after  thirteen  years,  a  fierce  battle  was 

fought  against  the  barbarians  at  Brunandune,t  wherefore  that 

fight  is  called  great  even  to   the   present  day :    then   the 

barbarian  tribes  are  defeated  and  domineer  no  longer ;  they 

are  driven  beyond  the  ocean  :  the  Scots  and  Picts  also  bow 

the  neck  ;  the  lands  of  Britain  are  consolidated  together,  on 

all  sides  is  peace,  and  plenty  of  all  things,  nor  ever  did  a 

fleet  again    come  to  land   except  in   friendship   with   the 

English. 

•  Bambrough.  *  Brumby,  Lincolnshire. 


40  ETHEL  WERD's  CHRONICLE.  [a.©.  ftU— «Sa 

A.  941.  Two  years  afterwards  the  venerated  king  Athel- 
stan  died. 

Chap.  VI.— Of  the  reign  of  king  Edmund. 

After  him  Edmund  succeeded  to  the  neglected  kingdom. 

A.  948.  After  seven  years,  therefore,  bishop  Wulfstan  and 
the  duke  of  the  Mercians  expelled  certain  deserters,  namely, 
Reginald  and  Anlaf  from  the  city  of  York,  and  gave  them 
into  the  king's  hand.  In  the  same  year  died  also  queen 
Elfgiva,  wife  of  king  Edmund,  and  afterwards  was  canonized. 
In  her  tomb,  with  God's  assistance,  even  to  the  present  day, 
miracles  are  performed  in  the  monastery  called  Shaftesbury. 
In  the  same  period  also  died  king  Edmund  on  the  solemnity 
of  Augustine  the  Less,  who  also  was  the  apostle  of  the 
English  :  and  he  held  the  kingdom  six  years  and  a  half. 

Chap.  VII.— Of  the  reign  of  king  Edred. 

Edmund's  successor  was  Edred  his  brother,  to  whom  all 
the  Northumbrians  became  subject ;  and  the  Scots  also  give 
oaths  of  allegiance  and  immutable  fidelity.  Not  long  after 
these  things  he  also  departed  in  peace,  on  the  birthday  of  the 
blessed  pope  and  martyr  Clement.  He  had  held  the  king- 
dom nine  years  and  half. 

Chap.  VIII.— Of  king  Edwy. 

His  successor  to  the  throne  was  Edwy,  who,  on  account  of 
his  great  personal  beauty,  was  called  Pankalus  by  the 
people.  He  held  the  sovereignty  four  years,  and  was  much, 
beloved. 

Chap.  IX. — Of  the  reign  of  king  Edgar. 

A.  959.  After  this,  Edgar  was  crowned,  and  he  was  an 
admirable  king.* 

Moreover  from  the  nativity  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  wac 
then  completed  the  number  of  973  years.* 

HERE  HAPPILY  ENDS  THE  FOURTH  BOOK  OP 

FABIUS  ETHELWERD, 

QUESTOR  AND  PATRICIAN. 

*  Here  follow  two  sets  of  Latin  verses,  of  a  most  obscure  and  ungrana- 
matical  character,  and  altogether  untranslateable. 


ANNALS  OF  THE  REIGN 


ALFRED    THE    GREAT. 


fyujfc*  ».«%i\ 


ANNALS  OF  THE  REIGN 


OF 


ALFRED    THE    GREAT, 

FROM  A.D.  849  TO  AD.  887.  \\ 

BY   A8SER    OP   SAINT    DAVID'S. 

the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  849,  was  born  Alfred, 
g  of  the  Anglo-Saxons,  at  the  royal  village  of  Wanating,* 
Berkshire,  which  country  has  its  name  from  the  wood  of 
rroc,  where  the  box-tree  grows  most  abundantly.  His  gene- 
gy  is  traced  in  the  following  order.  King  Alfred  was  the  son 
ling  Ethelwulf,  who  was  the  son  of  Egbert,  who  was  the  son 
Elmund,  was  the  son  of  Eafa,  who  was  the  son  of  Eoppa, 

0  the  son  of  Ingild.  Ingild,  and  Ina,  the  famous  king 
the  "West- Saxons,  were  two  brothers.     Ina  went  to  Home, 

1  there  ending  this  life  honourably,  entered  the  heavenly 
gdom,  to  reign  there  for  ever  with  Christ.  Ingild  and 
i  were  the  sons  of  Coenred,  who  was  the  son  of  Ceolwald, 
o  was  the  son  of  Cudam,  who  was  the  son  of  Cuthwin, 
o  was  the  son  of  Ceawlin,  who  was  the  son  of  Cynric,  who 
s  the  son  of  Creoda,  who  was  the  son  of  Cerdic,  who  was 
s  son  of  Elesa,  who  was  the  son  of  Gewis,  from  whom  the 
itons  name  all  that  nation  Gegwis,f  who  was  the  son  of 
ond,  who  was  the  son  of  Beldeg,  who  was  the  son  of  Woden, 
io  was  the  son  of  Frithowald,  who  was  the  son  of  Frealaf, 
io  was  the  son  of  Frithuwulf,  who  was  the  son  of  Finn 
Godwulf,  who  was  the  son  of  Geat,  which  Geat  the  pagans 
ig  worshipped  as  a  god.  Sedulius  makes  mention  of  him 
his  metrical  Paschal  poem,  as  follows : — 

When  gentile  poets  with  their  fictions  vain, 
In  tragic  language  and  bombastic  strain, 
To  their  god  Geat,  comic  deity, 
Loud  praises  sing,  &c. 

Vantage,    t  The  Gewisss,  generally  understood  to  be  the  West-Saxons. 


44  ASSEB'S   LIFE   OF   ALFBED.  [a.d.849-«S1. 

Geat  was  the  son  of  Taetwa,  who  was  the  son  of  Beaw, 
who  was  the  son  of  Sceldi,  who  was  the  son  of  Heremod, 
who  was  the  son  of  Itermon,  who  was  the  son  of  Hathra, 
who  was  the  son  of  Guala,  who  was  the  son  of  Bedwig,  who 
was  the  son  of  Shem,  who  was  the  son  of  Noah,  who  was 
the  son  of  Lamech,  who  was  the  son  of  Methusalem,  who 
was  the  son  of  Enoch,  who  was  the  son  of  Malaleel,  who  was 
the  son  of  Cainian,  who  was  the  son  of  Enos,  who  was  the 
son  of  Seth,  who  was  the  son  of  Adam. 

The  mother  of  Alfred  was  named  Osburga,  a  religions 
woman,  noble  both  by  birth  and  by  nature ;  she  was  daugh- 
ter of  Oslac,  the  famous  butler  of  king  Ethelwulf,  which 
Oslac  was  a  Goth  by  nation,  descended  from  the  Goths  and 
Jutes,  of  the  seed,  namely,  of  Stuf  and  Whitgar,  two  brothers 
and  counts ;  who,  having  received  possession  of  the  Isle  of 
Wight  from  their  uncle,  king  Cerdic,  and  his  son  Cynric 
their  cousin,  slew  the  few  British  inhabitants  whom  they 
could  find  in  that  island,  at  a  place  called  Gwihtgaraburgh  ;* 
for  the  other  inhabitants  of  the  island  had  either  been  slain 
or  escaped  into  exile. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  851,  which  was  the 
third  after  the  birth  of  king  Alfred,  Ceorl,  earl  of  Devon,  fought 
with  the  men  of  Devon  against  the  pagans  at  a  place  called 
Wicgambeorg  ;f  and  the  Christians  gained  the  victory ;  and 
that  same  year  the  pagans  first  wintered  in  the  island  called 
Sheppey,  which  means  the  Sheep-isle,  and  is  situated  in  the 
river  Thames  between  Essex  and  Kent,  but  is  nearer  to  Kent 
than  to  Essex ;  it  has  in  it  a  fine  monastery. J 

The  same  year  also  a  great  army  of  the  pagans  came  with 
three  hundred  and  fifty  ships  to  the  mouth  of  the  river 
Thames,  and  sacked  Dorobernia,§  which  is  the  city  of  the  Can- 
tuarians,  and  also  the  city  of  London,  which  lies  on  the 
north  bank  of  the  river  Thames,  on  the  confines  of  Essex 
and  Middlesex;  but  yet  that  city  belongs  in  truth, to  Essex; 
and  they  put  to  flight  Berthwulf,  king  of  Mercia,  with  all 
the  army,  which  he  had  led  out  to  oppose  them. 

After  these  things,  the  aforesaid  pagan  host  went  into 
Surrey,  which  is  a  district  situated  on  the  south  bank  of 
the  river  Thames,  and  to  the  west  of  Kent.     And  Ethelwulf, 

*  Carisbrooke,  as  may  be  conjectured  from  the  name,  which  is  a  combo*- 
tion  of  Wight  and  Caraburgh. 
f  Wembury.  $  Minster.  §  Canterbury. 


JJ>.8S30  AL7B2D  SEWT  TO  BOMB.  45 

king  of  the  West-Saxons,  and  his  son  Ethelbald,  with  all 
their  army,  fought  a  long  time  against  them  at  a  place  called 
Ac-lea,*  i.  e.  the  Oak-plain,  and  there,  after  a  lengthened 
battle,  which  was  fought  with  much  bravery  on  both  sides, 
the  greater  part  of  the  pagan  multitude  was  destroyed  and 
cut  to  pieces,  so  that  we  never  heard  of  their  being  so  de- 
feated, either  before  or  since,  in  any  country,  in  one  day; 
and  the  Christians  gained  an  honourable  victory,  and  were  * 
triumphant  over  their  graves. 

In  the  same  year  king  Athelstan,  son  of  king  Ethelwulf, 
and  earl  Ealhere  slew  a  large  army  of  pagans  in  Kent,  at  a 
place  called  Sandwich,  and  took  nine  ships  of  their  fleet ; 
the  others  escaped  by  flight. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  853,  which  was  the 
fifth  of  king  Alfred,  Burhred,  king  of  the  Mercians,  sent 
messengers,  and  prayed  Ethelwulf,  king  of  the  West-Saxons, 
to  come  and  help  him  in  reducing  the  midland  Britons,  who 
dwell  between  Mercia  and  the  western  sea,  and  who  struggled 
against  him  most  immoderately.  So  without  delay,  king 
Ethelwulf,  having  received  the  embassy,  moved  his  army, 
and  advanced  with  king  Burhred  against  Britain,!  and  imme- 
diately, on  entering  that  country,  he  began  to  ravage  it ;  and 
having  reduced  it  under  subjection  to  king  Burhred,  he  re- 
turned home. 

In  the  same  year,  king  Ethelwulf  sent  his  son  Alfred,  ^  \ 
above-named,  to  Rome,  with  an  honourable  escort  both  of 
nobles  and  commoners.  Pope  Leo  [the  fourth]  at  that  time 
presided  over  the  apostolic  see,  and  he  anointed  for  king 
the  aforesaid  Alfred,  and  adopted  him  as  his  spiritual  son. 
The  same  year  also,  earl  Ealhere,  with  the  men  of  Kent, 
and  Huda  with  the  men  of  Surrey,  fought  bravely  and  re- 
solutely against  an  army  of  the  pagans,  in  the  island,  which 
is  called  in  the  Saxon  tongue,  Tenet,!  but  Ruim  in  the 
British  language.  The  battle  lasted  a  long  time,  and  many 
fell  on  both  sides,  and  also  were  drowned  in  the  water ;  and 
both  the  earls  were  there  slain.  In  the  same  year  also,  after 
Easter,  Ethelwulf,  king  of  the  West-Saxons,  gave  his  daugh- 
ter to  Burhred,  king  of  the  Mercians,  and  the  marriage  was 
celebrated  royally  at  the  royal  vill  of  Chippenham. § 

*  Ockley,  in  Surrey. 

+  This  is  one  the  few  instances  to  be  met  with  of  the  name  Britannia  ap- 
plied to  Wales.  %  Thanet.  §  Wilts. 


46  AS8£&'8   LIFE   OP   JLLFBED.  [a.i 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  855,  which  was 
seventh  after  the  birth  of  the  aforesaid  king,  Edmund 
most  glorious  king  of  the  East- Angles  began  to  reign,  on 
eighth  day  before  the  kalends  of  January,  i.  e.  on  the  bi 
day  of  our  Lord,  in  the  fourteenth  year  of  his  age. 
this  year  also  died  Lothaire,  the  Roman  emperor,  son  of 
pious  Lewis  Augustus.  In  the  same  year  the  afore; 
venerable  king  Ethelwulf  released  the  tenth  part  of  all 
kingdom  from  all  royal  service  and  tribute,  and  with  a 
never  to  be  forgotten,  offered  it  up  to  God  the  One  and 
Three  in  One,  in  the  cross  of  Christ,  for  the  redemptio: 
his  own  soul  and  of  his  predecessors.  In  the  same  yea: 
went  to  Rome  with  much  honour ;  and  taking  with  him 
son,  the  aforesaid  king  Alfred,  for  a  second  journey  thit 
because  he  loved  him  more  than  his  other  sons,  he  remai 
there  a  whole  year;  after  which  he  returned  to  his  i 
country,  bringing  with  him  Judith,  daughter  of  Charles, 
king  of  the  Franks. 

In  the  meantime,  however,  whilst  king  Ethelwulf  was 
siding  beyond  the  sea,  a  base  deed  was  done,  repugnan 
the  morals  of  all  Christians,  in  the  western  part  of  Selw< 
For  king  Ethelbald  [son  of  king  Ethelwulf]  and  Eals 
bishop  of  the  church  of  Sherborne,  with  Eanwulf,  earl  of 
district  of  Somerton,  are  said  to  have  made  a  conspii 
together,  that  king  Ethelwulf,  on  his  return  from  Re 
should  never  again  be  received  into  his  kingdom.  This  cri 
M,  unheard-of  in  all  previous  ages,  is  ascribed  by  many  to 
*  bishop  and  earl  alone,  as  resulting  from  their  counsels.  M 
also  ascribe  it  solely  to  the  insolence  of  the  king,  bees 
that  king  was  pertinacious  in  this  matter,  and  in  many  oi 
perversities,  as  we  have  heard  related  by  certain  perso 
as  also  was  proved  by  the  result  of  that  which  follows. 

For  as  he  was  returning  from  Rome,  his  son  aforesaid,  \ 
all  his  counsellors,  or,  as  I  ought  to  say,  his  conspirat 
attempted  to  perpetrate  the  crime  of  repulsing  the  king  £ 
his  own  kingdom ;  but  neither  did  God  permit  the  deed, 
would  the  nobles  of  all  Saxony  consent  to  it.  For  to  prei 
this  irremediable  evil  to  Saxony,  of  a  son  warring  against 
father,  or  rather  of  the  whole  nation  carrying  on  civil  i 
either  on  the  side  of  the  one  or  the  other,  the  extraordii 
mildness  of  the  father,  seconded  by  the  consent  of  all 
nobles,  divided  between  the  two  the  kingdom  which 


4.0.855.]  ETHELWULF'8   BKTUBN   PBOM   BOMB.  47 

hitherto  been  undivided ;  the  eastern  parts  were  given  to  the 
father,  and  the  western  to  the  son ;  for  where  the  father 
ought  by  just  right  to  reign,  there  his  unjust  and  obstinate 
son  did  reign ;  for  the  western  part  of  Saxony  is  always  pre- 
ferable to  the  eastern. 

When  Ethelwulf,  therefore,  was  coming  from  Rome,  all 
that  nation,  as  was  fitting,  so  delighted  in  the  arrival  of  the 
old  man,  that,  if  he  permitted  them,  they  would  have  ex- 
pelled his  rebellious  son  Ethelbald,  with  all  his  counsellors, 
oat  of  the  kingdom.  But  he,  as  we  have  said,  acting  with 
great  clemency  and  prudent  counsel,  so  wished  things  to  be 
done,  that  the  kingdom  might  not  come  into  danger ;  and  he 
placed  Judith,  daughter  of  king  Charles,  whom  he  had  re- 
ceived from  his  father,  by  his  own  side  on  the  regal  throne, 
without  any  controversy  or  enmity  from  his  nobles,  even  to 
the  end  of  his  life,  contrary  to  the  perverse  custom  of  that 
nation.  For  the  nation  of  the  West- Saxons  do  not  allow  a 
queen  to  sit  beside  the  king,  nor  to  be  called  a  queen,  but 
only  the  king's  wife ;  which  stigma  the  elders  of  that  land 
say  arose  from  a  certain  obstinate  and  malevolent  queen 
of  the  same  nation,  who  did  all  things  so  contrary  to  her 
lord,  and  to  all  the  people,  that  she  not  only  earned  for  herself 
exclusion  from  the  royal  seat,  but  also  entailed  the  same 
ttagma  upon  those  who  came  after  her ;  for  in  consequence 
of  the  wickedness  of  that  queen,  all  the  nobles  of  that  land 
swore  together,  that  they  would  never  let  any  king  reign  over 
*  them,  who  should  attempt  to  place  a  queen  on  the  throne  by 
\     his  side. 

And  because,  as  I  think,  it  is  not  known  to  many  whence 
this  perverse  and  detestable  custom  arose  in  Saxony,  contrary 
to  the  custom  of  all  the  Theotiscan  nations,  it  seems  to  me 
right  to  explain  a  little  more  fully  what  I  have  heard  from 
my  lord  Alfred,  king  of  the  Anglo-Saxons,  as  he  also  had 
heard  it  from  many  men  of  truth,  who  in  great  part  recorded 
that  fact. 

There  was  in  Mercia,  in  recent  times,  a  certain  valiant 
king,  who  was  feared  by  all  the  kings  and  neighbouring 
states  around.  His  name  was  Offa,  and  it  was  he  who  had 
the  great  rampart  made  from  sea  to  sea  between  Britain*  and 
Mercia.  His  daughter,  named  Eadburga,  was  married  to 
Bertric,  king  of  the  West-Saxons  ;  who  immediately,  having 
♦  Offa'g  dyke,  between  Wales  and  England. 


48  AS8EB'S   LIFE   OF  ALFEED.  [AA888 

the  king's  affections,  and  the  control  of  almost  all  the  king- 
dom, began  to  live  tyrannically  like  her  father,  and  to  execrate 
every  man  whom  Bertric  loved,  and  to  do  all  things  hateful 
to  God  and  man,  and  to  accuse  all  she  could  before  the  king, 
and  so  to  deprive  them  insidiously  of  their  life  or  power; 
and  if  she  could  not  obtain  the  king's  consent,  she  used  to 
take  them  off  by  poison :  as  is  ascertained  to  have  been  the 
case  with  a  certain  young  man  beloved  by  the  king,  whom  she 
poisoned,  finding  that  the  king  would  not  listen  to  any  accu- 
sation against  him.  It  is  said,  moreover,  that  king  Bertric 
unwittingly  tasted  of  the  poison,  though  the  queen  intended 
to  give  it  to  the  young  man  only,  and  so  both  of  them 
perished. 

Bertric  therefore  being  dead,  the  queen  could  remain  no 
longer  among  the  West- Saxons,  but  sailed  beyond  the  sea 
with  immense  treasures,  and  went  to  the  court  of  the  great 
and  famous  Charles,  king  of  the  Franks.  As  she  stood 
before  the  throne,  and  offered  him  money,  Charles  said  to 
her,  "  Choose,  Eadburga,  between  me  and  my  son,  who  stands 
here  with  me."  She  replied,  foolishly,  and  without  deliber- 
ation, u  If  I  am  to  have  my  choice,  I  choose  your  son,  be- 
cause he  is  younger  than  you."  At  which  Charles  smiled 
and  answered,  "  If  you  had  chosen  me,  you  would  have 
had  my  son ;  but  as  you  have  chosen  him,  you  shall  not 
have  either  of  us." 

However,  he  gave  her  a  large  convent  of  nuns,  in  which, 
having  laid  aside  the  secular  habit  and  taken  the  religious 
dress,  she  discharged  the  office  of  abbess  during  a  few  years ; 
for,  as  she  is  said  to  have  lived  irrationally  in  her  own  country, 
so  she  appears  to  have  acted  still  more  so  in  that  foreign 
country  ;  for  being  convicted  of  having  had  unlawful  inter* 
course  with  a  man  of  her  own  nation,  she  was  expelled  from 
the  monastery  by  king  Charles's  order,  and  lived  a  vicious  life 
of  reproach  in  poverty  and  misery  until  her  death  ;  so  that 
at  last,  accompanied  by  one  slave  only,  as  we  have  heard 
from  many  who  saw  her,  she  begged  her  bread  daily  at  Pavia, 
and  so  miserably  died. 

Now  king  Ethelwulf  lived  two  years  after  his  return  from 
Rome ;  during  which,  among  many  other  good  deeds  of  this 
present  life,  reflecting  on  his  departure  according  to  the  way 
of  all  flesh,  that  his  sons  might  not  quarrel  unreasonably 
after  their  father's  death,  he  ordered  a  will  or  letter  of  in- 


a.d.  856.]  ETHELWULF'8  DEATH.  49 

8tructions  to  be  written,  in  which  he  ordered  that  his  king- 
dom should  be  divided  between  his  two  eldest  sons,  his 
private  inheritance  between  his  sons,  his  daughters,  and  his 
relations,  and  the  money  which  he  left  behind  him  between 
his  .sons  and  nobles,  and  for  the  good  of  his  soul.  Of  this 
prudent  policy  we  have  thought  fit  to  record  a  few  instances  out 
of  many  for  posterity  to  imitate ;  namely,  such  as  are  under- 
stood to  belong  principally  to  the  needs  of  the  soul ;  for  the  t 
others,  which  relate  only  to  human  dispensation,  it  is  not 
necessary  to  insert  in  this  work,  lest  prolixity  should  create 
disgust  in  those  who  read  or  wish  to  hear  my  work.  For  the 
benefit  of  his  soul,  then,  which  he  studied  to  promote  in  all 
things  from  the  first  flower  of  his  youth,  he  directed  through 
all  his  hereditary  dominions,  that  one  poor  man  in  ten,  either 
native  or  foreigner,  should  be  supplied  with  meat,  drink,  and 
clothing,  by  his  successors,  until  the  day  of  judgment ;  sup- 
posing, however,  that  the  country  should  still  be  inhabited 
both  by  men  and  cattle,  and  should  not  become  deserted. 
He  commanded  also  a  large  sum  of  money,  namely,  three 
hundred  mancuses,  to  be  carried  to  Rome  for  the  good  of  his 
soul,  to  be  distributed  in  the  following  manner :  namely,  a 
hundred  mancuses  in  honour  of  St.  Peter,  specially  to  buy 
oil  for  the  lights  of  the  church  of  that  apostle  on  Easter  eve, 
and  also  at  the  cock-crow :  a  hundred  mancuses  in  honour  of 
St.  Paul,  for  the  same  purpose  of  buying  oil  for  the  church  of 
St.  Paul  the  apostle,  to  light  the  lamps  on  Easter  eve  and  at 
the  cock-crow ;  and  a  hundred  mancuses  for  the  universal 
apostolic  pontiff. 

But  when  king  Ethelwulf  was  dead,  and  buried  at  Stem- 
rugam,*  his  son  Ethelbald,  contrary  to  God's  prohibition  and 
the  dignity  of  a  Christian,  contrary  also  to  the  custom  of  all 
the  pagans,  ascended  his  father's  bed,  and  married  Judith, 
daughter  of  Charles,  king  of  the  Franks,  and  drew  down 
much  infamy  upon  himself  from  all  who  heard  of  it.  During 
two  years  and  a  half  of  licentiousness  after  his  father  he  held 
the  government  of  the  West- Saxons. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  856,  which  was  the 
eighth  after  Alfred's  birth,  the  second  year  of  king  Charles 
III,  and  the   eighteenth   year   of   the   reign   of  Ethelwulf, 

*  Ingram  supposes  this  to  be  Stonehenge.  Staeningham,  however,  is  the 
common  reading,  which  Camden  thinks  is  Steyning,  in  Sussex.  The  Saxon 
Chronicle,  a.d.  855,  states,  that  Ethelwulf  was  buried  at  Winchester. 

£ 


50  ASSER's   LIFE   07  ALFRED.  [a.d. 

king  of  the  West-Saxons,  Humbert,  bishop  of  the  East- 
Angles,  anointed  with  oil  and  consecrated  as  king  the  glo- 
rious Edmund,  with  much  rejoicing  and  great  honour  in  the 
royal  town  called  Burva,  in  which  at  that  time  was  the  royal 
seat,  in  the  fifteenth  year  of  his  age,  on  a  Friday,  the  twenty- 
fourth  moon,  being  Christmas-day. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  860,  which  was  the 
twelfth  of  king  Alfred's  age,  died  Ethelbald,  king  of  the 
West- Saxons,  and  was  buried  at  Sherborne.  His  brother 
Ethelbert,  as  was  fitting,  joined  Kent,  Surrey,  and  Sussex 
also  to  his  dominion. 

In  his  days  a  large  army  of  pagans  came  up  from  the  sea, 
and  attacked  and  destroyed  the  city  of  Winchester.  As  they 
were  returning  laden  with  booty  to  their  ships,  Osric, 
earl  of  Hampshire,  with  his  men,  and  earl  Ethel wulf,  with 
the  men  of  Berkshire,  confronted  them  bravely ;  a  severe 
battle  took  place,  and  the  pagans  were  slain  on  every  side ; 
and,  finding  themselves  unable  to  resist,  took  to  flight  like 
women,  and  the  Christians  obtained  a  triumph. 

Ethelbert  governed  his  kingdom  five  years  in  peace,  with 
the  love  and  respect  of  his  subjects,  who  felt  deep  sorrow 
when  he  went  the  way  of  all  flesh.  His  body  was  honour- 
ably interred  at  Sherborne  by  the  side  of  his  brothers. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  864,  the  pagans  % 
wintered  in  the  isle  of  Thanet,  and  made  a  firm  treaty  with 
the  men  of  Kent,  who  promised  them  money  for  adhering  to 
their  covenant ;  but  the  pagans,  like  cunning  foxes,  burst 
from  their  camp  by  night,  and  setting  at  naught  their  engage- 
ments, and  spurning  at  the  promised  money,  which  they 
knew  was  less  than  they  could  get  by  plunder,  they  ravaged 
all  the  eastern  coast  of  Kent. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  866,  which  was  the 
eighteenth  of  king  Alfred,  Ethelred,  brother  of  Ethelbert, 
king  of  the  West  Saxons,  undertook  the  government  of  the 
kingdom  for  five  years ;  and  the  same  year  a  large  fleet  of 
pagans  came  to  Britain  from  the  Danube,  and  wintered  in  the 
kingdom  of  the  Eastern- Saxons,  which  is  called  in  Saxon 
East-Anglia  ;  and  there  they  became  principally  an  army  of 
cavalry.  But,  to  speak  in  nautical  phrase,  I  will  no  longer 
commit  my  vessel  to  the  power  of  the  waves  and  of  its  sails, 
or  keeping  off  from  land  steer  my  round-about  course  through 
so  many  calamities  of  wars  and  series  of  years,  but  ww 


A.o.  864.1  HIS  EDUCATION.  51 

return  to  that  which  first  prompted  me  to  this  task ;  that  is  to 
say,  I  think  it  right  in  this  place  briefly  to  relate  as  much  as 
has  come  to  my  knowledge  about  the  character  of  my  revered 
lord  Alfred,  king  of  the  Anglo-Saxons,  during  the  years  that 
he  was  an  infant  and  a  boy. 

He  was  loved  by  his  father  and  mother,  and  even  by  all 
the  people,  above  all  his  brothers,  and  was  educated  alto- 
gether at  the  court  of  the  king.  As  he  advanced  through 
the  years  of  infancy  and  youth,  his  form  appeared  more 
comely  than  that  of  his  brothers ;  in  look,  in  speech,  and  in 
manners  he  was  more  graceful  than  they.  His  noble  nature 
implanted  in  him  from  his  cradle  a  love  of  wisdom  above  all 
things ;  but,  with  shame  be  it  spoken,  by  the  unworthy 
neglect  of  his  parents  and  nurses,  he  remained  illiterate  even 
till  he  was  twelve  years  old  or  more ;  but  he  listened  with 
serious  attention  to  the  Saxon  poems  which  he  often  heard 
recited,  and  easily  retained  them  in  his  docile  memory.  He 
was  a  zealous  practiser  of  hunting  in  all  its  branches,  and 
hunted  with  great  assiduity  and  success  ;  for  skill  and  good 
fortune  in  this  art,  as  in  all  others,  are  among  the  gifts  of 
God,  as  we  also  have  often  witnessed. 

On  a  certain  day,  therefore,  his  mother*  was  showing  him 
and  his  brother  a  Saxon  book  of  poetry,  which  she  held  in 
her  hand,  and  said,  "  Whichever  of  you  shall  the  soonest 
learn  this  volume  shall  have  it  for  his  own."  Stimulated  by 
these  words,  or  rather  by  the  Divine  inspiration,  and  allured 
by  the  beautifully  illuminated  letter  at  the  beginning  of  the 
volume,  he  spoke  before  all  his  brothers,  who,  though  his 
seniors  in  age,  were  not  so  in  grace,  and  answered,  u  "Will 
you  really  give  that  book  to  one  of  us,  that  is  to  say,  to 
him  who  can  first  understand  and  repeat  it  to  you  ?"  At  this 
his  mother  smiled  with  satisfaction,  and  confirmed  what  she 
had  before  said.  Upon  which  the  boy  took  the  book  out  of 
her  hand,  and  went  to  his  master  to  read  it,  and  in  due  time 
brought  it  to  his  mother  and  recited  it. 

After  this  he  learned  the  daily  course,  that  is,  the  cele- 
bration of  the  hours,  and  afterwards  certain  psalms,  and 
several  prayers,  contained  in  a  certain  book  which  he  kept 

•  We  must  understand  this  epithet  as  denoting  his  mother-in-law, 
Judith,  rather  than  his  own  mother,  who  was  dead  in  a.d.  856,  when  Alfred 
was  not  yet  seven  years  old.  When  his  father  brought  Judith  from  France 
Alfred  was  thirteen  years  old* 

B  2 


52  ASSEE'S   LIFE   OF   ALFRED.  [A.B.W7. 

day  and  night  in  his  bosom,  as  we  ourselves  have  seen, 
and  carried  about  with  him  to  assist  his  prayers,  amid  all  the 
bustle  and  business  of  this  present  life.  But,  sad  to  say ! 
he  could  not  gratify  his  most  ardent  wish  to  learn  the  liberal 
arts,  because,  as  he  said,  there  were  no  good  readers  at  that 
time  in  all  the  kingdom  of  the  "West- Saxons. 

This  he  confessed,  with  many  lamentations  and  sighs,  to  have 
been  one  of  his  greatest  difficulties  and  impediments  in  this  life, 
namely,  that  when  he  was  young  and  had  the  capacity  for 
learning,  he  could  not  find  teachers;  but,  when  he  was 
more  advanced  in  life,  he  was  harassed  by  so  many  diseases 
unknown  to  all  the  physicians  of  this  island,  as  well  as  by 
internal  and  external  anxieties  of  sovereignty,  and  by  con- 
tinual invasions  of  the  pagans,  and  had  his  teachers  and 
writers  also  so  much  disturbed,  that  there  was  no  time  for 
reading.  But  yet  among  the  impediments  of  this  present 
life,  from  infancy  up  to  the  present  time,  and,  as  I  believe, 
even  until  his  death,  he  continued  to  feel  the  same  insatiable 
desire  of  knowledge,  and  still  aspires  after  it. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  867,  which  was  the 
nineteenth  of  the  life  of  the  aforesaid  king  Alfred,  the  army 
of  pagans  before  mentioned  removed  from  the  East-Angles 
to  the  city  of  York,  which  is  situated  on  the  north  bank  of 
the  river  Humber. 

At  that  time  a  violent  discord  arose,  by  the  instigation  of 
the  devil,  among  the  inhabitants  of  Northumberland ;  as 
always  is  used  to  happen  among  a  people  who  have  incurred 
the  wrath  of  God.  For  the  Northumbrians  at  that  time,  as 
we  have  said,  had  expelled  their  lawful  king  Osbert,  and 
appointed  a  certain  tyrant  named  jElla,  not  of  royal  birth, 
over  the  affairs  of  the  kingdom ;  but  when  the  pagans  ap- 
proached, by  divine  Providence,  and  the  union  of  the  nobles 
for  the  common  good,  that  discord  was  a  little  appeased, 
and  Osbert  and  iElla  uniting  their  resources,  and  assembling 
an  army,  marched  to  York.  The  pagans  fled  at  their  ap- 
proach, and  attempted  to  defend  themselves  within  the  walls 
of  the  city.  The  Christians,  perceiving  their  flight  and  the 
terror  they  were  in,  determined  to  destroy  the  walls  of  the 
town,  which  they  succeeded  in  doing ;  for  that  city  was  not 
surrounded  at  that  time  with  firm  or  strong  walls,  and  when 
the  Christians  had  made  a  breach  as  they  had  purposed,  and 
many  of  them  had  entered  into  the  town,  the  pagans,  urged 


ijd.  869.1  HIS  MAEBIAGE.  53 

by  despair  and  necessity,  made  a  fierce  sally  upon  them,  slew 
them,  routed  them,  and  cut  them  down  on  all  sides,  both 
within  and  without  the  walls.     In  that  battle  fell  almost  all 
the  Northumbrian  warriors,  with  both  the  kings  and  a  mul- 
titude of  nobles ;  the  remainder,  who  escaped,  made  peace 
with  the  pagans. 
In  the  •same  year,  Ealstan,  bishop  of  the  church  of  Sher- 
i       borne,  went  the  way  of  all  flesh,  after  he  had  honourably 
|       ruled  his  see  four  years,  and  he  was  buried  at  Sherborne. 
In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  868,  which  was  the 
twentieth  of  king  Alfred's  life,  there  was  a  severe  famine. 
|       Then  the  aforesaid  revered  king  Alfred,  but  at  that  time  oc- 
cupying a  subordinate  station,  asked  and  obtained  in  marriage 
I      a  noble  Mercian  lady,  daughter  of  Athelred,  surnamed  Mucil,* 
1      earl  of  the  Gaini.f     The  mother  of  this  lady  was  named  Ed- 
!       burga,  of  the  royal  line  of  Mercia,  whom  we  have  often  seen 
with  our  own  eyes  a  few  years  before  her  death.     She  was  a 
venerable  lady,  and  after  the  decease  of  her  husband,  she 
remained  many  years  a  widow,  even  till  her  own  death. 

In  the  same  year,  the  above-named  army  of  pagans,  leaving 
Northumberland,  invaded  Mercia  and  advanced  to  Notting- 
ham, which  is  called  in  the  British  tongue,  "  Tiggocobauc," 
but  in  Latin,  the  "  House  of  Caves,"  and  they  wintered 
there  that  same  year.  Immediately  on  their  approach,  Burh- 
red,  king  of  Mercia,  and  all  the  nobles  of  that  nation,  sent 
messengers  to  Ethelred,  king  of  the  West-Saxons,  and  his 
brother  Alfred,  suppliantly  entreating  them  to  come  and  aid 
them  in  fighting  against  the  aforesaid  army.  Their  request 
was  easily  obtained ;  for  the  brothers,  as  soon  as  promised, 
assembled  an  immense  army  from  all  parts  of  their  do- 
minions, and  entering  Mercia,  came  to  Nottingham,  all  eager 
for  battle,  and  when  the  pagans,  defended  by  the  castle,  re- 
fused to  fight,  and  the  Christians  were  unable  to  destroy  the 
wall,  peace  was  made  between  the  Mercians  and  pagans,  and 
the  two  brothers,  Ethelred  and  Alfred,  returned  home  with 
their  troops. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  869,  which  was  the 
twenty-first  of  king  Alfred's  life,  there  was  a  great  famine 
and  mortality  of  men,  and  a  pestilence   among  the  cattle. 

•  This  nobleman  occurs  as  a  witness  [Mucil,  dux]  to  many  Mercian 
charters,  dated  from  a.d.  814  to  866.         +  Inhabitants  of  Gainsborough. 


54  asseb's  life  of  Alfred.  [aj>.870.' 

And  the  aforesaid  army  of  the  pagans,  galloping  back  to 
Northumberland,  went  to  York,  and  there  passed  the  winter. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  870,  which  was  the 
twenty-second  of  king  Alfred's  life,  the  above-named  army 
of  pagans,  passed  through  Mercia  into  East-Anglia,  and 
wintered  at  Thetford. 

In  the  same  year  Edmund,  king  of  the  East- Angles,  fought 
most  fiercely  against  them;  but,  lamentable  to  say,  the 
pagans  triumphed,  Edmund  was  slain  in  the  battle,  and  the 
enemy  reduced  all  that  country  to  subjection. 

In  the  same  year  Ceolnoth,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  went 
the  way  of  all  flesh,  and  was  buried  peaceably  in  his  own 
city. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  871,  which  was  the 
twenty-third  of  king  Alfred's  life,  the  pagan  army,  of  hate- 
ful memory,  left  the  East- Angles,  and  entering  the  kingdom 
of  the  West-Saxons,  came  to  the  royal  city,  called  Reading, 
situated  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Thames,  in  the  district 
called  Berkshire ;  and  there,  on  the  third  day  after  their  ar- 
rival, their  earls,  with  great  part  of  the  army,  scoured  the 
country  for  plunder,  while  the  others  made  a  rampart  between 
the  rivers  Thames  and  Kennet  on  the  right  side  of  the  same 
royal  city.  They  were  encountered  by  Ethel wulf,  earl  of 
Berkshire,  with  his  men,  at  a  place  called  Englefield  ;*  both 
sides  fought  bravely,  and  made  long  resistance.  At  length 
one  of  the  pagan  earls  was  slain,  and  the  greater  part  of  the 
army  destroyed;  upon  which  the  rest  saved  themselves 
by  flight,  and  the  Christians  gained  the  victory. 

Four  days  afterwards,  Ethelred,  king  of  the  West-Saxons, 
and  his  brother  Alfred,  united  their  forces  and  marched  to 
Reading,  where,  on  their  arrival,  they  cut  to  pieces  the  pagans 
whom  they  found  outside  the  fortifications.  But  the  pagans, 
nevertheless,  sallied  out  from  the  gates,  and  a  long  and 
fierce  engagement  ensued.  At  last,  grief  to  say,  the  Christians 
fled,  the  pagans  obtained  the  victory,  and  the  aforesaid  earl 
Ethelwulf  was  among  the  slain. 

Roused  by  this  calamity,  the  Christians,  in  shame  and  in- 
dignation, within  four  days,  assembled  all  their  forces,  and 
again  encountered  the  pagan  army  at  a  place  called  Ashdune,f 
which  means  the  "  Hill  of  the  Ash."  The  pagans  had  divided 

*  Englefield  Green  is  about  four  miles  from  Windsor,  f  Aston,  in  Berkshire. 


i.d.  871-1  BATTLE   AT   ASHDUNE.  55 

themselves  into  two  bodies,  and  began  to  prepare  defences, 
for  they  had  two  kings  and  many  earls,  so  they  gave  the 
middle  part  of  the  army  to  the  two  kings,  and  the  other 
part  to  all  their  earls.  Which  the  Christians  perceiving, 
divided  their  army  also  into  two  troops,  and  also  began  to 
construct  defences.  But  Alfred,  as  we  have  been  told  by 
those  who  were  present,  and  would  not  tell  an  untruth, 
marched  up  promptly  with  his  men  to  give  them  battle  ; 
for  king  Ethebed  remained  a  long  time  in  his  tent  in  prayer, 
hearing  the  mass,  and  said  that  he  would  not  leave  it,  till 
the  priest  had  done,  or  abandon  the  divine  protection  for 
that  of  men.  And  he  did  so  too,  which  afterwards  availed 
him  much  with  the  Almighty,  as  we  shall  declare  more  fully 
in  the  sequel. 

Now  the  Christians  had  determined  that  king  Ethelred, 
with  his  men,  should  attack  the  two  pagan  kings,  but  that 
his  brother  Alfred,  with  his  troops,  should  take  the  chance 
of  war  against  the  two  earls.  Things  being  so  arranged,  the 
king  remained  a  long  time  in  prayer,  and  the  pagans  came 
up  rapidly  to  fight.  Then  Alfred,  though  possessing  a  sub- 
ordinate authority,  could  no  longer  support  the  troops  of 
the  enemy,  unless  he  retreated  or  charged  upon  them  with- 
out waiting  for  his  brother.  At  length  he  bravely  led  his 
troops  against  the  hostile  army,  as  they  had  before  arranged, 
but  without  awaiting  his  brother's  arrival ;  for  he  relied  in 
the  divine  counsels,  and  forming  his  men  into  a  dense  pha- 
lanx, marched  on  at  once  to  meet  the  foe. 

But  here  I  must  inform  those  who  are  ignorant  of  the 
fact,  that  the  field  of  battle  was  not  equally  advantageous 
to  both  parties.     The  pagans  occupied  the  higher  ground, 
and  the  Christians  came  up  from  below.  There  was  also  a  sin- 
gle thorn-tree,  of  stunted  growth,  but  we  have  ourselves  never 
seen  it.      Around   this  tree  the  opposing  armies  came  to- 
gether with  loud  shouts  from  all   sides,  the  one  party  to 
pursue  their  wicked  course,  the  other  to  fight  for  their  lives, 
their  dearest  ties,  and  their  country.     And  when  both  armies 
had  fought  long  and  bravely,  at  last  the  pagans,  by  the  di- 
vine judgment,  were  no  longer  able  to  bear  the  attacks  of 
the  Christians,  and  having  lost   great  part  of  their  army, 
took  to  a  disgraceful  flight.     One  of  their  two  kings,  and 
five  earls  were  there   slain,  together  with  many  thousand 


56  ASSEB'S   LIFE   OF   ALFRED.  [a.d.871 

pagans,  who  fell  on  all  sides,  covering  with  their  bodies  th* 
whole  plain  of  Ashdune. 

There  fell  in  that  battle  king  Bagsac,  earl  Sidrac  the 
elder,  and  earl  Sidrac  the  younger,  earl  Osbern,  earl  Frene, 
and  earl  Harold;  and  the  whole  pagan  army  pursued  its* 
flight,  not  only  until  night  but  until  the  next  day,  even  until 
they  reached  the  stronghold  from  which  they  had  sallied. 
The  Christians  followed,  slaying  all  they  could  reach,  until  it 
became  dark. 

After  fourteen  days  had  elapsed,  king  Ethelred,  with  his 
brother  Alfred,  again  joined  their  forces  and  inarched  to 
Basing  to  fight  with  the  pagans.  The  enemy  came  together 
from  all  quarters,  and  after  a  long  contest  gained  the  victory. 
After  this  battle,  another  army  came  from  beyond  the  sea, 
and  joined  them. 

The  same  year,  after  Easter,  the  aforesaid  king  Ethelred, 
having  bravely,  honourably,  and  with  good  repute,  governed 
his  kingdom  five  years,  through  much  tribulation,  went  the 
way  of  all  flesh,  and  was  buried  in  Wimborne  Minster, 
where  he  awaits  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  and  the  first  resur- 
rection with  the  just. 

The  same  year,  the  aforesaid  Alfred,  who  had  been  up  to 
that  time  only  of  secondary  rank,  whilst  his  brothers  were 
alive,  now,  by  God's  permission,  undertook  the  govern- 
ment of  the  whole  kingdom,  amid  the  acclamations  of  all  the 
people ;  and  if  he  had  chosen,  he  might  have  done  so  be- 
fore, whilst  his  brother  above-named  was  still  alive ;  for  in 
wisdom  and  other  qualities  he  surpassed  all  his  brothers,  and 
moreover,  was  warlike  and  victorious  in  all  his  wars.  And 
when  he  had  reigned  one  month,  almost  against  his  will,  for 
he  did  not  think  he  could  alone  sustain  the  multitude  and 
ferocity  of  the  pagans,  though  even  during  his  brothers' 
lives,  he  had  borne  the  woes  of  many, — he  fought  a  battle 
with  a  few  men,  and  on  very  unequal  terms,  against  all  the 
army  of  the  pagans,  at  a  hill  called  Wilton,  on  the  south 
bank  of  the  river  Wily,  from  which  river  the  whole  of 
that  district  is  named,  and  after  a  long  and  fierce  engage- 
ment, the  pagans,  seeing  the  danger  they  were  in,  and  no 
longer  able  to  bear  the  attack  of  their  enemies,  turned  their 
backs  and  fled.  But,  oh,  shame  to  say,  they  deceived  their 
too  audacious  pursuers,  and  again  rallying,  gained  the  vie- 


A.D. 871-875.]  KING  OF   MERCIA  BANISHED.  57 

tory.  Let  no  one  be  surprised  that  the  Christians  had  but 
a  small  number  of  men,  for  the  Saxons  had  been  worn  out 
by  eight  battles  in  one  year,  against  the  pagans,  of  whom 
they  had  slain  one  king,  nine  dukes,  and  innumerable  troops 
of  soldiers,  besides  endless  skirmishes,  both  by  night  and 
by  day,  in  which  the  oft-named  Alfred,  and  all  his  chief- 
tains, with  their  men,  and  several  of  his  ministers,  were  en- 
gaged without  rest  or  cessation  against  the  pagans.  How 
many  thousand  pagans  fell  in  these  numberless  skirmishes 
God  alone  knows,  over  and  above  those  who  were  slain  in 
the  eight  battles  above-mentioned.  In  the  same  year  the 
Saxons  made  peace  with  the  pagans,  on  condition  that  they 
should  take  their  departure,  and  they  did  so. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  872,  the  twenty- 
fourth  of  king  Alfred's  life,  the  above-named  army  of  pagans 
went  to  London,  and  there  wintered.  The  Mercians  made 
peace  with  them. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  873,  the  twenty- 
fifth  of  king  Alfred,  the  above-named  army,  leaving  Lon- 
don, went  into  the  country  of  the  Northumbrians,  and  there 
wintered  in  the  district  of  Lindsey;  and  the  Mercians  again 
made  treaty  with  them. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  874,  the  twenty- 
sixth  since  the  birth  of  king  Alfred,  the  army  before  so 
often  mentioned  left  Lindsey  and  marched  to  Mercia, 
where  they  wintered  at  Repton.  Also  they  compelled  Burh- 
red,  king  of  Mercia,  against  his  will,  to  leave  his  king- 
dom and  go  beyond  the  sea  to  Rome,  in  the  twenty-second 
year  of  his  reign.  He  did  not  long  live  after  his  arrival, 
but  died  there,  and  was  honourably  buried  in  the  school  of 
the  Saxons,  in  St.  Mary's  church,  where  he  awaits  the  Lord's 
coming  and  the  first  resurrection  with  the  just.  The  pagans 
also,  after  his  expulsion,  subjected  the  whole  kingdom  of  the 
Mercians  to  their  dominion ;  but  by  a  most  miserable  ar- 
rangement, gave  it  into  the  custody  of  a  certain  foolish  man, 
named  Ceolwulf,  one  of  the  king's  ministers,  on  condition 
that  he  should  restore  it  to  them,  whenever  they  should  wish 
to  have  it  again ;  and  to  guarantee  this  agreement,  he  gave 
them  hostages,  and  swore  that  he  would  not  oppose  their  will, 
but  be  obedient  to  them  in  every  respect. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  875,  which  was  the 
27th  of  king  Alfred,  the  above-named  army  leaving  Repton, 


58  assek's  life  of  Alfred.  [a.».87«. 

divided  into  two  bodies,  one  of  which  went  with  Halfdene  into 
Northumbria,  and  having  wintered  there  near  the  Tyne,  re- 
duced all  Northumberland  to  subjection ;  they  also  ravaged 
the  Picts  and  the  Strath- Clydensians.*  The  other  division,  with 
Gothrun,  Oskytel,  and  Anwiund,  three  kings  of  the  pagans, 
went  to  a  place  called  Grantabridge,t  and  there  wintered. 

In  the  same  year,  king  Alfred  fought  a  battle  by  sea 
against  six  ships  of  the  pagans,  and  took  one  of  them ;  the 
rest  escaped  by  flight. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  876,  being  the  twenty- 
eighth  year  of  king  Alfred's  life,  the  aforesaid  army  of  the 
pagans,  leaving  Grantabridge  by  night,  entered  a  castle  called 
Wareham,  where  there  is  a  monasterium  of  holy  virgins  be- 
tween the  two  rivers  FraunJ  and  Trent,  in  the  district  which 
is  called  in  British  Durngueis,  but  in  Saxon  Thornsceta,  placed 
in  a  most  secure  situation,  except  that  it  was  exposed  to  danger 
on  the  western  side  from  the  nature  of  the  ground.  With 
this  army  Alfred  made  a  solemn  treaty,  to  the  effect  that 
they  should  depart  out  of  the  kingdom,  and  for  this  they 
made  no  hesitation  to  give  as  many  hostages  as  he  named;  also 
they  swore  an  oath  over  the  Christian  relics,§  which  with  king 
Alfred  were  next  in  veneration  after  the  Deity  himself,  that 
they  would  depart  speedily  from  the  kingdom.  But  they  again 
practised  their  usual  treachery,  and  caring  nothing  for  the 
hostages  or  their  oaths,  they  broke  the  treaty,  and  sallying  forth 
by  night,  slew  all  the  horsemen  that  the  king  had  round  him, 
and  turning  off  into  Devon,  to  another  place  called  in  Saxon 
Eocanceaster,  ||  but  in  British  Cair-wisc,  which  means  in  Latin, 
the  city  of  Ex,  situated  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  river  Wise, 
they  directed  their  course  suddenly  towards  the  south  sea, 
which  divides  Britain  and  Gaul,  and  there  passed  the  winter. 

In  the  same  year,  Halfdene,  king  of  those  parts,  divided 
out  the  whole  country  of  Northumberland  between  himself 
and  his  men,  and  settled  there  with  his  army.  In  the  same 
year,  Hollo  with  his  followers  penetrated  into  Normandy. 

This  same  Hollo,  duke  of  the  Normans,  whilst  wintering  in 
Old  Britain,  or  England,  at  the  head  of  his  troops,  enjoyed 

•  Stratclyde  Britons.  t  Cambridge.  X  The  Frome. 

§  They  swore  oaths  to  Alfred  on  the  holy  ring,  says  the  Saxon  Chronicle, 
p.  355.    The  most  solemn  manner  of  swearing  among  the  Danes  and  <  "" 
northern  nations  was  by  their  arms.    Olaus  Magnus,  lib.  viii  c.  2. 

II  Exeter 


A-D.877,87a]  ENGAGEMENT  AT  SEA.  59 

one  night  a  vision  revealing  to  him  the  future.  See  more  of 
this  Hollo  in  the  Annals.* 

In  the  year  877,  the  pagans,  on  the  approach  of  autumn, 
partly  settled  in  Exeter,  and  partly  marched  for  plunder  into 
Mercia.  The  number  of  that  disorderly  crew  increased  every 
day,  so  that,  if  thirty  thousand  of  them  were  slain  in  one 
battle,  others  took  their  places  to  double  the  number.  Then 
king  Alfred  commanded  boats  and  galleys,  i.  e.  long  ships,  to 
be  built  throughout  the  kingdom,  in  order  to  offer  battle  by 
sea  to  the  enemy  as  they  were  coming.  On  board  of  these 
he  placed  seamen,  and  appointed  them  to  watch  the  seas. 
Meanwhile  he  went  himself  to  Exeter,  where  the  pagans 
were  wintering,  and  having  shut  them  up  within  the  walls, 
laid  siege  to  the  town.  He  also  gave  orders  to  his  sailors  to 
prevent  them  from  obtaining  any  supplies  by  sea ;  and  his. 
sailors  were  encountered  by  a  fleet  of  a  hundred  and  twenty 
ships  full  of  armed  soldiers,  who  were  come  to  help  their 
countrymen.  As  soon  as  the  king's  men  knew  that  they  were 
fitted  with  pagan  soldiers,  they  leaped  to  their  arms,  and 
bravely  attacked  those  barbaric  tribes :  but  the  pagans,  who 
had  now  for  almost  a  month  been  tossed  and  almost  wrecked 
among  the  waves  of  the  sea,  fought  vainly  against  tbem ; 
their  bands  were  discomfited  in  a  moment,  and  all  were  sunk 
and  drowned  in  the  sea,  at  a  place  called  Suanewic.f 

In  the  same  year  the  army  of  pagans,  leaving  Wareham, 
partly  on  horseback  and  partly  by  water,  arrived  at  Suane- 
wic,  where  one  hundred  and  twenty  of  their  ships  were  lost ;  J 
and  king  Alfred  pursued  their  land- army  as  far  as  Exeter ; 
there  he  made  a  covenant  with  them,  and  took  hostages  that 
they  would  depart. 

The  same  year,  in  the  month  of  August,  that  army  went 
into  Mercia,  and  gave  part  of  that  country  to  one  Ceolwulf, 
a  weak-minded  man,  and  one  of  the  king's  ministers  ;  the 
other  part  they  divided  among  themselves. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  878,  which  was  the 

*  It  is  necessary  to  inform  the  reader  that  many  passages  of  this  work 
are  modern  interpolations,  made  in  the  old  MS.  by  a  later  hand.  The 
"  Annals  "  referred  to  in  the  text  are  supposed  not  to  be  a  genuine  work 
of  Asser. 

t  Swanwich,  in  Dorsetshire. 

X  This  clause  is  a  mere  repetition  of  the  preceding.  See  a  former  note 
in  this  pagp 


60  ASSEE'S   LIFE   07   ALFKED.  [ad.  878. 

thirtieth  of  king  Alfred's  life,  the  army  above-mentioned 
left  Exeter,  and  went  to  Chippenham,  a  royal  villa,  situ- 
ated in  the  west  of  Wiltshire,  and  on  the  eastern  bank  of 
the  river,  which  is  called  in  British,  the  Avon.  There  they 
wintered,  and  drove  many  of  the  inhabitants  of  that  country 
beyond  the  sea  by  the  force  of  their  arms,  and  by  want  of 
the  necessaries  of  life.  They  reduced  almost  entirely  to  sub- 
jection all  the  people  of  that  country. 

At  the  same  time  the  above-named  Alfred,  king  of  the 
West-Saxons,  with  a  few  of  his  nobles,  and  certain  soldiers 
and  vassals,  used  to  lead  an  unquiet  life  among  the  wood- 
lands* of  the  county  of  Somerset,  in  great  tribulation;  for  he 
had  none  of  the  necessaries  of  life,  except  what  he  could 
forage  openly  or  stealthily,  by  frequent  sallies,  from  the  pa- 
gans, or  even  from  the  Christians  who  had  submitted  to  the 
rule  of  the  pagans,  and  as  we  read  in  the  Life  of  St.  Neot, 
at  the  house  of  one  of  his  cowherds. 

But  it  happened  on  a  certain  day,  that  the  countrywoman, 
wife  of  the  cowherd,  was  preparing  some  loaves  to  bake, 
and  the  king,  sitting  at  the  hearth,  made  ready  his  bow  and 
arrows  and  other  warlike  instruments.  The  unlucky  woman 
espying  the  cakes  burning  at  the  fire,  ran  up  to  remove 
them,  and  rebuking  the  brave  king,  exclaimed  : — 

Ca'sn  thee  mind  the  ke-aks,  man,  an1  doossen  zee  'em  burn ! 
I'm  boun  thee's  eat  'em  vast  enough,  az  zoon  az  tiz  the  tura.f 

The  blundering  woman  little  thought  that  it  was  king  Al- 
fred, who  had  fought  so  many  battles  against  the  pagans,  and 
gained  so  many  victories  over  them. 

But  the  Almighty  not  only  granted  to  the  same  glorious  king 
victories  over  his  enemies,  but  also  permitted  him  to  be  harass- 
ed by  them,  to  be  sunk  down  by  adversities,  and  depressed 
by  the  low  estate  of  his  followers,  to  the  end  that  he  might 
learn  that  there  is  one  Lord  of  all  things,  to  whom  every 
knee  doth  bow,  and  in  whose  hand  are  the  hearts  of  kings; 
who  puts  down  the  mighty  from  their  seat  and  exalteth  the 
humble ;  who  suffers  his  servants  when  they  are  elevated  at 
the  summit  of  prosperity  to  be  touched  by  the  rod  of  ad- 

*  Athelney,  a  morass  formed  by  the  conflux  of  the  Thone  and  the  Par- 
ret.    See  Saxon  Chron.  p.  356,  and  Chronicle  of  Ethelwerd,  p.  31. 

+  The  original  here  is  in  Latin  verse,  and  may  therefore  be  rendered  into 
English  verse,  but  such  as  every  housewife  in  Somersetshire  would  under- 
stand. 


A.&878J  HIS   8ELP-WILL   PUWISHED.  61 

rersity,  that  in  their  humility  they  may  not  despair  of  God's 
mercy,  and  in  their  prosperity  they  may  not  hoast  of  their 
honours,  hut  may  also  know,  to  whom  they  owe  all  the 
things  which  they  possess. 

We  may  believe  that  the  calamity  was  brought  upon  the 
king  aforesaid,  because,  in  the  beginning  of  his  reign,  when 
he  was  a  youth,  and  influenced  by  youthful  feelings,  he  would 
not  listen  to  the  petitions  which  his  subjects  made  to  him 
for  help  in  their  necessities,  or  for  relief  from  those  who 
oppressed  them ;  but  he  repulsed  them  from  him,  and  paid 
no  heed  to  their  requests.  This  particular  gave  much  annoy- 
ance to  the  holy  man  St.  Neot,  who  was  his  relation,  and 
often  foretold  to  him,  in  the  spirit  of  prophecy,  that  he  would 
suffer  great  adversity  on  this  account ;  but  Alfred  neither  at- 
tended to  the  reproof  of  the  man  of  God,  nor  listened  to  his 
true  prediction.  Wherefore,  seeing  that  a  man's  sins  must 
he  corrected  either  in  this  world  or  the  next,  the  true  and 
righteous  Judge  was  willing  that  his  sin  should  not  go  un- 
punished in  this  world,  to  the  end  that  he  might  spare 
him  in  the  world  to  come.  From  this  cause,  therefore,  the 
aforesaid  Alfred  often  fell  into  such  great  misery,  that  some- 
times none  of  his  subjects  knew  where  he  was  or  what  had 
become  of  him. 

In  the  same  year  the  brother*  of  Hingwar  and  Halfdene, 
with  twenty-three  ships,  after  much  slaughter  of  the  Chris- 
tians, came  from  the  country  of  Demetia,f  where  he  had 
wintered,  and  sailed  to  Devon,  where,  with  twelve  hundred 
others,  he  met  with  a  miserable  death,  being  slain  while  com- 
mitting his  misdeeds,  by  the  king's  servants,  before  the  castle 
of  Cynuit  (KynwithJ),  into  which  many  of  the  king's  servants, 
with  their  followers,  had  fled  for  safety.  The  pagans,  seeing 
that  the  castle  was  altogether  unprepared  and  unfortified, 
except  that  it  had  walls  in  our  own  fashion,  determined  not 
to  assault  it,  because  it  was  impregnable  and  secure  on  all 
sides,  except  on  the  eastern,  as  we  ourselves  have  seen,  but 
they  began  to  blockade  it,  thinking  that  those  who  were 
inside  would  soon  surrender"'  either  from  famine  or  want  of 
water,  for  the  castle  had  no  spring  near  it.  But  the  result 
did  not  fall  out  as  they  expected  ;  for  the  Christians,  before 
they  began  to  suffer  from  want,  inspired  by  Heaven,  judging 

•  Probably  the  ranguinary  Hubba.  +  Or  South  Wales. 

X  Kynwith  castle  stood  on  the  river  Taw.    Camden,  p.  35. 


< 


62  asseb's  life  of  Alfred.  u.d.878. 

it  much  better  to  gain  victory  or  death,  attacked  the  pagans 
suddenly  in  the  morning,  and  from  the  first  cut  them  down 
in  great  numbers,  slaying  also  their  king,  so  that  few  escaped 
to  their  ships  ;  and  there  they  gained  a  very  large  booty,  and 
amongst  other  things  the  standard  called  Raven;  for  they 
say  that  the  three  sisters  of  Hingwar  and  Hubba,  daughters 
of  Lodobroch,  wove  that  flag  and  got  it  ready  in  one  day. 
They  say,  moreover,  that  in  every  battle,  wherever  that  flag 
went  before  them,  if  they  were  to  gain  the  victory  a  live 
crow  would  appear  flying  on  the  middle  of  the  flag ;  but  if 
they  were  doomed  to  be  defeated  it  would  hang  down  motion- 
less, and  this  was  often  proved  to  be  so. 

The  same  year,  after  Easter,  king  Alfred,  with  a  few  fol- 
lowers, made  for  himself  a  stronghold  in  a  place  called 
Athelney,  and  from  thence  sallied  with  his  vassals  and  the 
nobles  of  Somersetshire,  to  make  frequent  assaults  upon  the 
pagans.  Also,  in  the  seventh  week  after  Easter,  he  rode  to 
the  stone  of  Egbert,*  which  is  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  wood 
which  is  called  Selwood,f  which  means  in  Latin  Silva  Magna, 
the  Great  Wood,  but  in  British  Coit-mawr.  Here  he  was  met 
by  all  the  neighbouring  folk  of  Somersetshire,  and  Wiltshire, 
and  Hampshire,  who  had  not,  for  fear  of  the  pagans,  fled 
beyond  the  sea ;  and  when  they  saw  the  king  alive  after  such 
great  tribulation,  they  received  him,  as  he  deserved,  with  joy 
and  acclamations,  and  encamped  there  for  one  night.  When 
the  following  day  dawned,  the  king  struck  his  camp,  and 
went  to  Okely,J  where  he  encamped  for  one  night.  The 
next  morning  he  removed  to  Edington,  and  there  fought 
bravely  and  perseveringly  against  all  the  army  of  the  pagans, 
whom,  with  the  divine  help,  he  defeated  with  great  slaughter, 
and  pursued  them  flying  to  their  fortification.  Immediately 
he  slew  all  the  men,  and  carried  off  all  the  booty  that  he 
could  find  without  the  fortress,  which  he  immediately  laid 
siege  to  with  all  his  army ;  and  when  he  had  been  there 
fourteen  days,  the  pagans,  driven  by  famine,  cold,  fear,  and 
last  of  all  by  despair,  asked  for  peace,  on  the  condition  that 
they  should  give  the  king  as  many  hostages  as  he  pleased, 
but  should  receive  none  of  him  in  return,  in  which  form  they 

•  Now  called  Brixton  Deverill,  in  Wilts. 

+  Selwood  Forest  extended  from  Frome  to  Burham,  and  was  probably 
much  larger  at  one  time. 
X  Or  Iglea.    Supposed  to  be  Leigh,  now  Westbury,  Wilts. 


AJ).  876— 882.]  BAPTISM   OF   GOTHEUN.  63 

had  never  before  made  a  treaty  with  any  one.  The  king, 
hearing  that,  took  pity  upon  them,  and  received  such  hostages 
as  he  chose ;  after  which  the  pagans  swore,  moreover,  that 
they  would  immediately  leave  the  kingdom ;  and  their  king, 
Gothrun,  promised  to  embrace  Christianity,  and  receive 
baptism  at  king  Alfred's  hands.  All  of  which  articles  he 
and  his  men  fulfilled  as  they  had  promised.  For  after  seven 
weeks  Gothrun,  king  of  the  pagans,  with  thirty  men  chosen 
from  the  army,  came  to  Alfred  at  a  place  called  Aller,  near 
Athelney,  and  there  king  Alfred,  receiving  him  as  his  son 
by  adoption,  raised  him  up  from  the  holy  laver  of  baptism 
on  the  eighth  day,  at  a  royal  villa  named  Wedmore  *  where 
the  holy  chrism  was  poured  upon  him.f  After  his  baptism  he 
remained  twelve  nights  with  the  king,  who,  with  all  his 
nobles,  gave  him  many  fine  houses. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  879,  which  was  the 
thirty-first  of  king  Alfred,  the  aforesaid  army  of  pagans 
leaving  Chippenham,  as  they  had  promised,  went  to  Ciren- 
cester, which  is  called  in  British  Cair  Cori,  and  is  situate  in 
the  southern  part  of  the  Wiccii,J  and  there  they  remained 
one  year. 

In  the  same  year,  a  large  army  of  pagans  sailed  from 
foreign  parts  into  the  river  Thames,  and  joined  the  army 
which  was  already  in  the  country.  They  wintered  at  Fulham 
near  the  river  Thames. 

In  the  same  year  an  eclipse  of  the  sun  took  place,  between  v 
three  o'clock  and  the  evening,  but  nearer  to  three  o'clock.        ' 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  880,  which  was  the 
thirty-second  of  king  Alfred,  the  above  named  army  of 
pagans  left  Cirencester,  and  went  among  the  East  Angles, 
where  they  divided  out  the  country  and  began  to  settle. 

The  same  year  the  army  of  pagans,  which  had  wintered  at 
Fulham,  left  the  island  of  Britain,  and  sailed  over  the  sea 
to  the  eastern  part  of  France,  where  they  remained  a  year 
at  a  place  called  Ghent. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  881,  which  was  the 

•  Wedmore  is  four  miles  and  three  quarters  from  Axbridge,  in  Somer- 
setshire. 

+  In  the  Saxon  Chronicle  (a.d.  878)  it  is  said,  that  Gothrun  was  bap- 
tized at  Aller,  and  his  chrism-loosing  was  at  Wedmore.  The  chrismcU  was 
a  white  linen  cloth  put  on  the  head  at  the  administration  of  baptism,  which 
was  taken  off  at  the  expiration  of  eight  days. 

X  Inhabitants  of  Gloucester,  Worcester,  and  part  of  Warwickshire. 


64  ASSEB'S  LIFE   OF  ALFSED.  [a.».  883, 884. 

thirty-third  of  king  Alfred's  life,  the  aforesaid  army  went  higher 
up  into  France ;  and  the  French  fought  against  them ;  and 
after  the  battle  the  pagans  obtained  horses  and  became  an 
army  of  cavalry. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  882,  the  thirty-fourth 
of  king  Alfred's  life,  the  above  named  army  steered  their 
ships  up  into  France  by  a  river  called  the  Mese  [Meuse]  and 
there  wintered  one  year. 

In  the  same  year  Alfred,  king  of  the  Anglo-Saxons,  fought 
a  battle  by  sea  against  the  pagan  fleet,  of  which  he  captured 
two  ships,  having  slain  all  who  were  on  board;  and  the 
two  commanders  of  two  other  ships,  with  all  their  crews, 
distressed  by  the  battle  and  the  wounds  which  they  had  re- 
ceived, laid  down  their  arms  and  submitted  to  the  king. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  883,  which  was  the 
thirty-fifth  of  king  Alfred's  life,  the  aforesaid  army  went 
up  the  river  called  Scald  [Scheldt]  to  a  convent  of  nuns  called 
Cundoht  [Conde]  and  there  remained  a  year. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  884,  which  was  the 
thirty-sixth  of  king  Alfred's  life,  the  aforesaid  army  divided 
into  two  parts ;  one  body  of  them  went  into  East  France, 
and  the  other  coming  to  Britain  entered  Kent,  where  they 
besieged  a  city  called  in  Saxon  Rochester,  and  situated  on 
the  eastern  bank  of  the  river  Medway.  Before  the  gate  of 
the  town  the  pagans  suddenly  erected  a  strong  fortress,  but 
yet  they  were  unable  to  take  the  city,  because  the  citizens 
defended  themselves  bravely,  until  king  Alfred  came  up  to 
help  them  with  a  large  army.  Then  the  pagans  abandoned 
their  fortress,  and  all  their  horses  which  they  had  brought 
with  them  out  of  France,  and  leaving  behind  them  in  the 
fortress  the  greater  part  of  their  prisoners,  on  the  arrival  of 
the  king,  fled  immediately  to  their  ships,  and  the  Saxons  im- 
mediately seized  on  the  prisoners  and  horses  left  by  the 
pagans ;  and  so  the  pagans,  compelled  by  stern  necessity, 
returned  the  same  summer  to  France. 

In  the  same  year  Alfred,  king  of  the  Anglo-Saxons,  led 
his  fleet,  full  of  fighting  men,  out  of  Kent  to  the  country  of 
the  East  Angles,  for  the  sake  of  plunder  ;*  and,  when  they 

*  This  expression  paints  in  strong  colours  the  unfortunate  and  divided 
state  of  England  at  this  period,  for  it  shows  that  the  Danes  had  settled 
possession  of  parts  of  it.  In  fact,  all  traces  of  the  heptarchy,  or  ani ' 
division  of  the  island  into  provinces,  did  not  entirely  disappear  until  I 
years  after  the  Norman  conquest. 


A.o.884.]  DEATH  07  POPS  KABTIK.  65 

"had  arrived  at  the  month  of  the  river  Stour  *  immediately 
thirteen  ships  of  the  pagans  met  them,  prepared  for  battle  ; 
a  tierce  fight  ensued,  and  all  the  pagans,  after  a  brave  resist- 
ance, were  slain ;  all  the  ships,  with  all  their  money,  were 
taken.  After  this,  while  the  royal  fleet  were  reposing,  the 
pagans,  who  lived  in  the  eastern  part  of  England,  assembled 
their  ships,  met  the  same  royal  fleet  at  sea  in  the  mouth  of 
the  same  river,  and,  after  a  naval  battle,  the  pagans  gained 
the  victory. 

In  the  same  year,  also,  Carloman,  king  of  the  Western 
Franks,  whilst  hunting  a  wild  boar,  was  miserably  killed  by 
a  large  animal  of  that  species,  which  inflicted  a  dreadful 
wound  on  him  with  its  tusk.  His  brother  Louis  [HI],  who 
had  also  been  king  of  the  Franks,  died  the  year  before.  These 
two  brothers  were  sons  of  Louis,  king  of  the  Franks,  who 
had  died  in  the  year  above  mentioned,  in  which  the  eclipse 
of  the  sun  took  place  ;  and  it  was  he  whose  daughter  Judith 
was  given  by  her  father's  wish  in  marriage  to  Ethelwulf, 
king  of  the  West  Saxons. 

In  the  same  year  also  a  great  army  of  the  pagans  came 
from  Germany  into  the  country  of  the  ancient  Saxons,  which 
is  called  in  Saxon  Ealdseaxum.f  To  oppose  them  the  said 
Saxons  and  Frisons  joined  their  forces,  and  fought  bravely 
twice  in  that  same  year.  In  both  those  battles  the  Christians, 
with  the  merciful  aid  of  the  Lord,  obtained  the  victory. 

In  the  same  year  also,  Charles,  king  of  the  Almains,  re- 
ceived, with  universal  consent,  all  the  territories  which  Re 
between  the  Tyrrhenian  sea  and  that  gulf  which  runs  between 
the  old  Saxons  and  the  Gauls,  except  the  kingdom  of  Ar- 
morica,  i.  e.  Lesser  Britain.  This  Charles  was  the  son  of 
king  Louis,  who  was  brother  of  Charles,  king  of  the  Franks, 
father  of  the  aforesaid  queen  Judith;  these  two  brothers 
were  sons  of  Louis,  but  Louis  was  the  son  of  the  great,  the 
ancient,  and  wise  Charlemagne,  who  was  the  son  of  Pepin. 

In  the  same  year  pope  Martin,  of  blessed  memory,  went 
the  way  of  all  flesh ;  it  was  he  who,  in  regard  for  Alfred, 
king  of  the  Anglo-Saxons,  and  at  his  request,  freed  the 
fcchool  of  the  Anglo-Saxons  resident  at  Rome  from  all  tribute 
and  tax.     He  also  sent  many  gifts  on  that  occasion,  among 

•  Not  the  river  Stour,  in  Kent;  but  the  Stour  which  divides  Essex  from 
Suffolk.     Lambard  fixes  the  battle  at  Harwich  haven, 
f  Or,  Old  Saxons. 

T 


66  asseb's  life  of  Alfred.  u.o.884. 

which  was  no  small  portion  of  the  holy  and  venerable  cross 
on  which  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  was  suspended,  for  the 
general  salvation  of  mankind. 

In  the  same  year  also  the  army  of  pagans,  which  dwelt 
among  the  East  Angles,  disgracefully  broke  the  peace  which 
they  had  concluded  with  king  Alfred. 

Wherefore,  to  return  to  that  from  which  I  digressed,  that 
I  may  not  be  compelled  by  my  long  navigation  to  abandon 
the  port  of  rest  which  I  was  making  for,  I  propose,  as  far  as 
my  knowledge  will  enable  me,  to  speak  of  the  life  and  cha- 
racter and  just  conduct  of  my  lord  Alfred,  king  of  the 
Anglo-Saxons,  after  he  married  the  above  named  respected 
lady  of  Mercian  race,  his  wife ;  and,  with  God's  blessing,  I 
will  despatch  it  succinctly  and  briefly,  as  I  promised,  that  I 
may  not  offend  the  delicate  minds  of  my  readers  by  prolixity 
in  relating  each  new  event. 

His  nuptials  were  honourably  celebrated  in  Mercia,  among 
innumerable  multitudes  of  people  of  both  sexes ;  and  after 
continual  feasts,  both  by  night  and  by  day,  he  was  imme- 
diately seized,  in  presence  of  all  the  people,  by  sudden  and 
overwhelming  pain,  as  yet  unknown  to  all  the  physicians ; 
for  it  was  unknown  to  all  who  were  then  present,  and  even 
to  those  who  daily  see  him  up  to  the  present  time, — which, 
sad  to  say  !  is  the  worst  of  all,  that  he  should  have  protracted 
it  so  long  from  the  twentieth  to  the  fortieth  year  of  his  life, 
and  even  more  than  that  through  the  space  of  so  many  years, — 
from  what  cause  so  great  a  malady  arose.  For  many  thought 
that  this  was  occasioned  by  the  favour  and  fascination  of 
the  people  who  surrounded  him ;  others,  by  some  spite  of  the 
devil,  who  is  ever  jealous  of  the  good ;  others,  from  an  un- 
usual kind  of  fever.  He  had  this  sort  of  severe  disease  from 
his  childhood ;  but  once,  divine  Providence  so  ordered  it, 
that  when  he  was  on  a  visit  to  Cornwall  for  the  sake  of 
hunting,  and  had  turned  out  of  the  road  to  pray  in  a  certain 
chapel,  in  which  rests  the  body  of  Saint  Guerir,*  and  now 
also  St.  Neotf  rests  there, — for  king  Alfred  was  always  from 
his  infancy  a  frequent  visitor  of  holy  places  for  the  sake  of 
prayer  and  almsgiving, — he  prostrated  himself  for  private 
devotion,  and,  after  some  time  spent  therein,  he  entreated  of 

*  St.  Guerir's  church  was  at  Ham  Stoke,  in  Cornwall, 
t  An  interesting  account  of  St.  Neot  will  be  found  in  Gorham's  History 
and  Antiquities  of  Eynesbury  and  St.  Neot's. 


a  0.884.]  HIS   FAMILY.  67 

God's  mercy,  that  in  his  boundless  clemency  he  would  ex- 
change the  torments  of  the  malady  which  then  afflicted  him 
for  some  other  lighter  disease  ;  but  with  this  condition,  that 
such  disease  should  not  show  itself  outwardly  in  his  body, 
lest  he  should  be  an  object  of  contempt,  and  less  able  to 
benefit  mankind ;  for  he  had  great  dread  of  leprosy  or  blind- 
ness, or  any  such  complaint,  as  makes  men  useless  or  con- 
temptible when  it  afflicts  them.  When  he  had  finished  his 
prayers,  he  proceeded  on  his  journey,  and  not  long  after  he 
felt  within  him  that  by  the  hand  of  the  Almighty  he  was 
healed,  according  to  his  request,  of  his  disorder,  and  that  it  i 
was  entirely  eradicated,  although  he  had  first  had  even  this 
complaint  in  the  flower  of  his  youth,  by  his  devout  and  pious 
prayers  and  supplications  to  Almighty  God.  For  if  I  may 
be  allowed  to  speak  briefly,  but  in  a  somewhat  preposterous 
order,  of  his  zealous  piety  to  God,  in  the  flower  of  his  youth, 
before  he  entered  the  marriage  state,  he  wished  to  strengthen 
his  mind  in  the  observance  of  God's  commandments,  for  he 
perceived  that  he  could  with  difficulty  abstain  from  gratifying 
his  carnal  desires ;  and,  because  he  feared  the  anger  of  God, 
if  he  should  do  anything  contrary  to  his  will,  he  used  often 
to  rise  in  the  morning  at  the  cock-crow,  and  go  to  pray  in  the 
churches  and  at  the  relics  of  the  saints.  There  he  prostrated 
himself  on  the  ground,  and  prayed  that  God  in  his  mercy 
would  strengthen  his  mind  still  more  in  his  service  by  some 
infirmity  such  as  he  might  bear,  but  not  such  as  would 
render  him  imbecile  and  contemptible  in  his  worldly  duties  ; 
and  when  he  had  often  prayed  with  much  devotion  to  this 
effect,  after  an  interval  of  some  time,  Providence  vouchsafed 
to  afflict  him  with  the  above-named  disease,  which  he  bore 
long  and  painfully  for  many  years,  and  even  despaired  of 
life,  until  he  entirely  got  rid  of  it  by  his  prayers ;  but,  sad 
to  say !  it  was  replaced,  as  we  have  said,  at  his  marriage  by  » 
another  which  incessantly  tormented  him,  night  and  day,  \ 
from  the  twentieth  to  the  forty-fourth  year  of  his  life.  But 
if  ever,  by  God's  mercy,  he  was  relieved  from  this  infirmity 
for  a  single  day  or  night,  yet  the  fear  and  dread  of  that 
dreadful  malady  never  left  him,  but  rendered  him  almost 
useless,  as  he  thought,  for  every  duty,  whether  human  or 
divine. 

The  sons  and  daughters,  which  he  had  by  his  wife  above 
mentioned  were  Ethelfled  the  eldest,  after  whom  came  Ed- 

f  a 


68  asseb's  life  of  Alfred.  La.d.884 

ward,  then  Ethelgiva,  then  Ethelswitha,  and  Ethelwerd, 
besides  those  who  died  in  their  infancy,  one  of  whom  was 
Edmund.  Ethelfled,  when  she  arrived  at  a  marriageable  age, 
was  united  to  Ethered,  earl  of  Mercia ;  Ethelgiva  also  was 
dedicated  to  God,  and  submitted  to  the  rules  of  a  monastic 
life.  Ethel werd  the  youngest,  hy  the  divine  counsels  and  the 
admirable  prudence  of  the  king,  was  consigned  to  the  schools 
of  learning,  where,  with  the  children  of  almost  all  the  nobi- 
lity of  the  country,  and  many  also  who  were  not  noble,  he 
prospered  under  the  diligent  care  of  his  teachers.  Books  in 
both  languages,  namely,  Latin  and  Saxon,  were  both  read  in 
the  school.  They  also  learned  to  write ;  so  that  before  they 
were  of  an  age  to  practice  manly  arts,  namely,  hunting  and 
such  pursuits  as  befit  noblemen,  they  became  studious  and 
clever  in  the  liberal  arts.  Edward  and  Ethelswitha  were  bred 
up  in  the  king's  court  and  received  great  attention  from  their. 
attendants  and  nurses ;  nay,  they  continue  to  this  day,  with 
the  love  of  all  about  them,  and  showing  affability,  and  even 
gentleness  towards  all,  both  natives  and  foreigners,  and  in 
complete  subjection  to  their  father;  nor,  among  their  other 
studies  which  appertain  to  this  life  and  are  fit  for  noble 
youths,  are  they  suffered  to  pass  their  time  idly  and  unprofit- 
ably  without  learning  the  liberal  arts ;  for  they  have  carefully 
learned  the  Psalms  and  Saxon  books,  especially  the  Saxon 
poems,  and  are  continually  in  the  habit  of  making  use  of 
books. 

In  the  meantime,  the  king,  during  the  frequent  wars  and 
other  trammels  of  this  present  life,  the  invasions  of  the 
pagans,  and  his  own  daily  infirmities  of  body,  continued  to 
carry  on  the  government,  and  to  exercise  hunting  in  all  its 
branches  ;  to  teach  his  workers  in  gold  and  artificers  of  all 
kinds,  his  falconers,  hawkers  and  dog-keepers ;  to  build  houses, 
majestic  and  good,  beyond  all  the  precedents  of  his"  ances- 
tors, by  his  new  mechanical  inventions ;  to  recite  the  Saxon 
books,  and  especially  to  learn  by  heart  the  Saxon  poems,  and 
to  make  others  learn  them ;  and  he  alone  never  desisted  from 
studying,  most  diligently,  to  the  best  of  his  ability ;  he  attended 
the  mass  and  other  daily  services  of  religion ;  he  was  fre- 
quent in  psalm-singing  and  prayer,  at  the  hours  both  of 
the  day  and  the  night.  He  also  went  to  the  churches,  as  we 
have  already  said,  in  the  night-time  to  pray,  secretly,  and 
unknown  to  his  courtiers;  he  bestowed  alms  and  largesses  on 


A.0. 884.]  HIS  THIBST  FOB  KNOWLEDGE.  69 

both  natives  and  foreigners  of  all  countries ;  He  was  affable 
and  pleasant  to  all,  and  curiously  eager  to  investigate  things 
unknown.  Many  Franks,  Frisons,  Gauls,  pagans,  Britons, 
Scots,  and  Armoricans,  noble  and  ignoble,  submitted  vo- 
luntarily to  his  dominion;  and  all  of  them,  according  to 
their  nation  and  deserving,  were  ruled,  loved,  honoured,  and 
enriched  with  money  and  power.  Moreover,  the  king  was  in 
the  habit  of  hearing  the  divine  scriptures  read  by  his  own  coun- 
trymen, or,  if  by  any  chance  it  so  happened,  in  company  with 
foreigners,  and  he  attended  to  it  with  sedulity  and  solicitude. 
His  bishops,  too,  and  all  ecclesiastics,  his  earls  and  nobles, 
ministers  and  friends,  were  loved  by  him  with  wonderful  af- 
fection, and  their  sons,  who  were  bred  up  in  the  royal  house- 
hold,  were  no  less  dear  to  him  than  his  own ;  he  had  them 
instructed  in  all  kinds  of  good  morals,  and  among  other 
things,  never  ceased  to  teach  them  letters  night  and  day  ;  but 
as  if  he  had  no  consolation  in  all  these  things,  and  suffered 
no  other  annoyance  either  from  within  or  without,  yet  he 
was  harassed  by  daily  and  nightly  affliction,  that  he  com- 
plained to  God,  and  to  all  who  were  admitted  to  his  familiar 
love,  that  Almighty  God  had  made  him  ignorant  of  divine 
wisdom,  and  of  the  liberal  arts  ;  in  this  emulating  the  pious, 
the  wise,  and  wealthy  Solomon,  king  of  the  Hebrews,  who 
at  first,  despising  all  present  glory  and  riches,  asked  wisdom 
of  God,  and  found  both,  namely,  wisdom  and  worldly  glory  ; 
as  it  is  written,  "  Seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his 
righteousness,  and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you." 
But  God,  who  is  always  the  inspector  of  the  thoughts  of  the 
mind  within,  and  the  instigator  of  all  good  intentions,  and  a 
most  plentiful  aider,  that  good  desires  may  be  formed, — for 
he  would  not  instigate  a  man  to  good  intentions,  unless  he 
also  amply  supplied  that  which  the  man  justly  and  properly 
wishes  to  have, — instigated  the  king's  mind  within  ;  as  it  is 
written,  "  I  will  hearken  what  the  Lord  God  will  say  concern- 
ing me."  He  would  avail  himself  of  every  opportunity  to 
procure  coadjutors  in  his  good  designs,  to  aid  him  in  his 
strivings  after  wisdom,  that  he  might  attain  to  what  he  aimed 
at ;  and,  like  a  prudent  bird,  which  rising  in  summer  with 
the  early  morning  from  her  beloved  nest,  steers  her  rapid 
flight  through  the  uncertain  tracks  of  ether,  and  descends 
on  the  manifold  and  varied  flowers  of  grasses,  herbs,  and 
shrubs,  essaying  that  which  pleases  most,  that  she  may  bear 


70  ASSESS   LIFE   OF  ALFBED.  [aaML 

it  to  her  home,  so  did  he  direct  his  eyes  afar,  and  seek 
without,  that  which  he  had  not  within,  namely,  in  his  own 
kingdom. 

But  God  at  that  time,  as  some  consolation  to  the  king's 
benevolence,  yielding  to  his  complaint,  sent  certain  lights 
to  illuminate  him,  namely,  Werefrith,  bishop  of  the  church 
of  Worcester,  a  man  well  versed  in  divine  scripture,  who, 
by  the  king's  command,  first  turned  the  books  of  the 
Dialogues  of  pope  Gregory  and  Peter,  his  disciple,  from 
Latin  into  Saxon,  and  sometimes  putting  sense  for  sense, 
interpreted  them  with  clearness  and  elegance.  After  him 
was  Plegmund,  a  Mercian  by  birth,  archbishop  of  the  church 
of  Canterbury,  a  venerable  man,  and  endowed  with  wisdom ; 
Ethelstan  also,  and  Werewulf,  his  priests  and  chaplains,  Mer- 
cians by  birth,  and  erudite.  These  four  had  been  invited  out 
of  Mercia  by  king  Alfred,  who  exalted  them  with  many 
honours  and  powers  in  the  kingdom  of  the  West-Saxons, 
besides  the  privileges  which  archbishop  Plegmund  and  bishop 
Werefrith  enjoyed  in  Mercia.  By  their  teaching  and  wisdom 
the  king's  desires  increased  unceasingly,  and  were  gratified. 
Night  and  day,  whenever  he  had  leisure,  he  commanded  such 
men  as  these  to  read  books  to  him ;  for  he  never  suffered 
himself  to  be  without  one  of  them,  wherefore  he  possessed  a 
knowledge  of  every  book,  though  of  himself  he  could  not 
yet  understand  anything  of  books,  for  he  had  not  yet  learned 
to  read  any  thing. 

But  the  king's  commendable  avarice  could  not  be  gratified . 
even  in  this  ;  wherefore  he  sent  messengers  beyond  the  sea 
to  Gaul,  to  procure  teachers,  and  he  invited  from  thence 
Grirnbald,*  priest  and  monk,  a  venerable  man,  and  good 
singer,  adorned  with  every  kind  of  ecclesiastical  discipline 
and  good  morals,  and  most  learned  in  holy  scripture.  He 
also  obtained  from  thence  John,f  also  priest  and  monk,  a  man 
of  most  energetic  talents,  and  learned  in  all  kinds  of  literary 
science,  and  skilled  in  many  other  arts.  By  the  teaching  of 
these  men  the  king's  mind  was  much  enlarged,  and  he  en- 
riched and  honoured  them  with  much  influence. 

in  these  times,  I  also  came  into  Saxony  out  of  the  furthest 
coasts  of  Western  Britain ;  and  when  I  had  proposed  to  go 
to  him  through  many  intervening  provinces,  I  arrived  in  tat 

•  Grirnbald  was  provost  of  St.  Omer's. 
.    f  John  had  been  connected  with  the  monastery  of  Corbie. 


a.d.884.  ASSEB,  AXF&ED's  TEACHER.  71 

country  of  the  Saxons,  who  live  on  the  right  hand,  which  in 
Saxon  is  called  Sussex,  under  the  guidance  of  some  of  that 
nation ;  and  there  I  first  saw  him  in  the  royal  vill,  which  is 
called  Dene.*  He  received  me  with  kindness,  and  among 
other  familiar  conversation,  he  asked  me  eagerly  to  devote 
myself  to  his  service  and  become  his  friend,  to  leave  every 
thing  which  I  possessed  on  the  left,  or  western  bank  of  the 
Severn,  and  he  promised  he  would  give  more  than  an  equi- 
valent for  it  in  his  own  dominions.  I  replied  that  I  could 
not  incautiously  and  rashly  promise  such  things;  for  it 
seemed  to  me  unjust,  that  I  should  leave  those  sacred 
places  in  which  I  had  been  bred,  educated,  and  crowned,f 
and  at  last  ordained,  for  the  sake  of  any  earthly  honour  and 
power,  unless  by  compulsion.  Upon  this,  he  said,  "  If  you 
cannot  accede  to  this,  at  least,  let  me  have  your  service  in 
part :  spend  six  months  of  the  year  with  me  here,  and  the 
other  six  in  B^itain.,,  To  this,  I  replied,  "  I  could  not  even 
promise  that  easily  or  hastily  without  the  advice  of  my 
friends."  At  length,  however,  when  I  perceived  that  he  was 
anxious  for  my  services,  though  I  knew  not  why,  I  promised 
him  that,  if  my  life  was  spared,  I  would  return  to  him  after 
six  months,  with  such  a  reply  as  should  be  agreeable  to  him 
as  well  as  advantageous  to  me  and  mine.  With  this  answer 
he  was  satisfied,  and  when  I  had  given  him  a  pledge  to  return 
at  the  appointed  time,  on  the  fourth  day  we  left  him  and 
returned  on  horseback  towards  our  own  country. 
.  After  our  departure,  a  violent  fever  seized  me  in  the  city 
of  "Winchester,  where  I  lay  for  twelve  months  and  one  week, 
night  and  day,  without  hope  of  recovery.  At  the  appointed 
time,  therefore,  I  could  not  fulfil  my  promise  of  visiting  him, 
and  he  sent  messengers  to  hasten  my  journey,  and  to  inquire 
the  cause  of  my  delay.  As  I  was  unable  to  ride  to  him,  I 
sent  a  second  messenger  to  tell  him  the  cause  of  my  delay, 
and  assure  him  that,  if  I  recovered  from  my  infirmity,  I 
would  fulfil  what  I  had  promised.  My  complaint  left  me, 
and  by  the  advice  and  consent  of  all  my  friends,  for  the 
benefit  of  that  holy  place,  and  of  all  who   dwelt  therein, 

*  East  Dene  [or  Dean]  and  West  Dene  are  two  villages  near  Chiches- 
ter.   There  are  also  other  villages  of  the  same  name  near  East  Bourne. 

t  This  expression  alludes  to  the  tonsure,  which  was  undergone  by  those 
who  became  clerks.  For  a  description  of  the  ecclesiastical  tonsure  see 
Bede's  Ecclea.  Hist.  p.  160. 


72  asseb's  life  OF  ALFBED.  [aaHL 

I  did  as  I  had  promised  to  the  king,  and  devoted  myself 
to  his  service,  on  the  condition  that  I  should  remain  with 
him  six  months  in  every  year,  either  continuously,  if  I 
could  spend  six  months  with  him  at  once,  or  alternately, 
three  months  in  Britain  and  three  in  Saxony.*  For  my 
friends  hoped  that  they  should  sustain  less  tribulation  and 
harm  from  king  Hemeid,t  who  often  plundered  that  monastery 
and  the  parish  of  St.  Deguus,J  and  sometimes  expelled  'the 
prelates,  as  they  expelled  archbishop  Novis,§  my  relation, 
and  myself ;  if  in  any  manner  I  could  secure  the  notice  and 
friendship  of  the  king. 

At  that  time,  and  long  before,  all  the  countries  on  the  right 
hand  side  of  Britain  belonged  to  king  Alfred  and  still  be- 
long to  him.  For  instance,  kins  Hemeid,  with  all  the 
inhabitants  of  the  region  of  Demetia,  compelled  by  the  vio- 
lence of  the  six  sons  of  Kotri,  had  submitted  to  the  dominion 
of  the  king.  Howel  also,  son  of  Ris,  king  of  Gleguising, 
and  Brocmail  and  Fernmail,  sons  of  Mouric,  kings  of  Gwent, 
compelled  by  the  violence  and  tyranny  of  earl  Ethered  and 
of  the  Mercians,  of  their  own  accord  sought  king  Alfred, 
that  they  might  enjoy  his  government  and  protection  from 
him  against  their  enemies.  Helised,  also,  son  of  Tendyr, 
king  of  Brecon,  compelled  by  the  force  of  the  same  sons  of 
Rotri,  of  his  own  accord  sought  the  government  of  the  afore- 
said king  ;  and  Anarawd,  son  of  Rotri,  with  his  brother,  at 
length  abandoning  the  friendship  of  the  Northumbrians, 
from  which  he  received  no  good  but  harm,  came  into  king 
Alfred's  presence  and  eagerly  sought  his  friendship.  The 
king  received  him  honourably,  received  him  as  his  son  by 
confirmation  from  the  bishop's  hand,  and  presented  him  with 
many  gifts.  Thus  he  became  subject  to  the  king  with  all 
his  people,  on  the  same  condition,  that  he  should  be  obedient 
to  the  king's  will  in  all  respects,  in  the  same  way  as  Ethered 
with  the  Mercians. 

Nor  was   it  in  vain  that  all  these  princes   gained  the 

*  The  original  Latin  continues,  "  Et  ilia  adjuvaretur  per  rudiment* 
Sancti  Degui  in  omni  causa,  tamen  pro  viribus,"  which  I  do  not  under- 
stand, and  therefore  cannot  translate. 

t  A  petty  prince  of  South  Wales. 

t  Or  St.  Dewi.  Probably  by  the  parish  of  St.  Deguus  is  meant  the 
diocese  of  St.  David's.  Hence  it  is  said,  that  Alfred  gave  to  Aster  tfc* 
whole  parish  (omnis  parochia)  of  Exeter. 

§  Archbishop  of  St.  David's. 


aa888.]  Alfred's  gifts  to  asseb.  73 

friendship  of  the  king.  For  those  who  desired  to  augment 
their  worldly  power,  obtained  power ;  those  who  desired 
money,  gained  money;  and  in  like  way,  those  who  desired 
his  friendship,  or  both  money  and  friendship,  succeeded  in 
getting  what  they  wanted.  But  all  of  them  gained  his  love 
and  guardianship  and  defence  from  every  quarter,  even  as  the 
king  with  his  men  could  protect  himself. 

When  therefore  I  had  come  into  his  presence  at  the  royal 
vill,  called  Leonaford,  I  was  honourably  receded  by  him,  and 
remained  that  time  with  him  at  his  court  eight  months ;  during 
which  I  read  to  him  whatever  books  he  liked,  and  such  as  he 
had  at  hand  ;  for  this  is  his  most  usual  custom,  both  night 
and  day,  amid  his  many  other  occupations  of  mind  and  body, 
either  himself  to  read  books,  or  to  listen  whilst  others  read 
them.  And  when  I  frequently  asked  his  leave  to  depart, 
and  could  in  no  way  obtain  it,  at  length  when  I  had  made 
up  my  mind  by  all  means  to  demand  it,  he  called  me  to 
him  at  twilight,  on  Christmas  eve,  and  gave  me  two  letters, 
in  which  was  a  long  list  of  all  the  things  which  were  in 
two  monasteries,  called  in  Saxon,  Ambresbury*  and  Banwell;f 
and  on  that  same  day  he  delivered  to  me  those  two  mo- 
nasteries with  all  the  things  that  were  in  them,  and  a  silken 
pall  of  great  value,  and  a  load  for  a  strong  man,  of  incense, 
adding  these  words,  that  he  did  not  give  me  these  trifling 
presents,  because  he  was  unwilling  hereafter  to  give  me 
greater ;  for  in  the  course  of  time  he  unexpectedly  gave  me 
Exeter,  with  all  the  diocese  which  belonged  to  him  in  SaxonyJ 
and  in  Cornwall,  besides  gifts  every  day,  without  number,  in 
every  kind  of  worldly  wealth,  which  it  would  be  too  long  to 
enumerate  here,  lest  they  should  make  my  reader  tired. 
But  let  no  one  suppose  that  I  have  mentioned  these  pre- 
sents in  this  place  for  the  sake  of  glory  or  flattery,  or  to 
obtain  greater  honour.  I  call  God  to  witness,  that  I  have 
not  done  so ;  but  that  I  might  certify  to  those  who  are  igno- 
rant, how  profuse  he  is  in  giving.  He  then  at  once  gave 
me  permission  to  ride  to  those  two  rich  monasteries  and 
afterwards  to  return  to  my  own  country. 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation,  886,  which  was  the 
thirty-eighth  since  the  birth  of  Alfred,  the  army  so  often 
beforementioned  again  fled  the  country,  and  went  into  the 
country  of  the  Western  Franks,  directing  their  ships  to  the 

*  Amesbury,  in  Wilts.  t  In  Somersetshire.  £  Wessex. 


74  ASSEB'S  LIFE   OF  ALFBBD.  [AAttT. 

river  called  the  Seine,  and  sailed  up  it  as  far  as  the  city  of 
Paris,  and  there  they  wintered  and  measured  out  their  camp. 
They  besieged  that  city  a  whole  year,  as  far  as  the  bridge, 
that  they  might  prevent  the  inhabitants  from  making  use  of 
it ;  for  the  city  is  situated  on  a  small  island  in  the  middle 
of  the  river;  but  by  the  merciful  favour  of  God,  and  the 
brave  defence  of  citizens,  the  army  could  not  force  their  way 
inside  the  walls. 

In  the  same  year,  Alfred,  king  of  the  Anglo-Saxons,  after 
the  burning  of  cities  and  the  slaying  of  the  people,  honour- 
ably rebuilt  the  city  of  London,  and  made  it  again  habitable. 
He  gave  it  into  the  custody  of  his  son-in-law,  Ethered,  earl 
of  Mercia,  to  which  king  all  the  Angles  and  Saxons,  who 
before  had  been  dispersed  everywhere,  or  were  in  captivity 
with  the  pagans,  voluntarily  turned  and  submitted  themselves 
to  his  dominion. 

*  [In  the  same  year  there  arose  a  foul  and  deadly  discord 
at  Oxford,  between  Grimbald,  with  those  learned  men  whom 
he  had  brought  with  him,  and  the  old  scholars  whom  he  had 
found  there,  who,  on  his  arrival,  refused  altogether  to  em- 
brace the  laws,  modes,  and  forms  of  preelection  instituted  by 
the  same  Grimbald.  During  three  years  there  had  been  no 
great  dissension  between  them,  but  there  was  a  secret  enmity 
which  afterwards  broke  out  with  great  atrocity,  clearer  than 
the  light  itself.  To  appease  this  quarrel,  that  invincible  king 
Alfred,  having  been  informed  of  the  strife  by  a  messenger 
from  Grimbald,  went  to  Oxford  to  put  an  end  to  the  contra. 
versy,  and  endured  much  trouble  in  hearing  the  arguments 
and  complaints  which  were  brought  forwards  on  both  sides. 
The  substance  of  the  dispute  was  this :  the  old  scholars  con- 
tended, that  literature  had  flourished  at  Oxford  before  the 
coming  of  Grimbald,  although  the  number  of  scholars  was 
smaller  than  in  ancient  time,  because  several  had  been  driven 
away  by  the  cruelty  and  tyranny  of  the  pagans.  They  also 
proved  and  showed,  by  the  undoubted  testimony  of  ancient 
annals,  that  the  orders  and  institutions  of  that  place  had 
been  sanctioned  by  certain  pious  and  learned  men,  as  for 
instance  by  Saint  Gildas,  Melkinus,  Nennius,  Kentigern,  and 
others,  who  had  all  grown  old  there  in  literature,  and  happily 

♦  The  whole  of  this  paragraph  concerning  Oxford  ifl  thought  to  be  n 
interpolation,  because  it  is  not  known  to  have  existed  in  more  than  one 
MS.  copy. 


».d.$87.  DISPUTES   AT   OXFORD.  75 

tdministered  eTerything  there  in  peace  and  concord;  and 
also,  that  Saint  Germanus  had  come  to  Oxford,  and  stopped 
there  half  a  year,  at  the  time  when  he  went  through  Britain 
to  preach  against  the  Pelagian  heresy ;  he  wonderfully  ap- 
proved of  the  customs  and  institutions  above-mentioned. 
The  king,  with  unheard-of  humility,  listened  to  both  sides  care- 
fully, and  exhorted  them  again  and  again  with  pious  and 
wholesome  admonitions  to  cherish  mutual  love  and  concord. 
He  therefore  left  them  with  this  decision,  that  each  party 
should  follow  their  own  counsel,  and  preserve  their  own 
institutions.  Grimbald,  displeased  at  this,  immediately  de- 
parted to  the  monastery  at  Winchester,*  which  had  been 
recently  founded  by  king  Alfred,  and  ordered  a  tomb  to  be 
carried  to  Winchester,  in  which  he  proposed,  after  this  life, 
that  his  bones  should  be  laid  in  the  vault  which  had  been 
made  under  the  chancel  of  St.  Peter's  church  in  Oxford; 
which  church  the  same  Grimbald  had  built  from  its  foun- 
dations, of  stone  polished  with  great  care.] 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation  887,  which  was  the 
thirty-ninth  of  king  Alfred's  life,  the  above  mentioned  army 
of  the  pagans,  leaving  the  city  of  Paris  uninjured,  because 
they  could  not  succeed  against  it,  sailed  up  the  river  Seine 
under  the  bridge,  until  they  reached  the  mouth  of  the  river 
Materne  [Marne]  ;  where  they  left  the  Seine,  and,  following 
for  a  long  time  the  course  of  the  Marne,  at  length,  but  not 
without  much  labour,  they  arrived  at  a  place  called  Chezy,  a 
royal  vill,  where  they  wintered  one  year.  In  the  following 
year  they  entered  the  mouth  of  the  river  Ionna  [Yonne],  not 
without  doing  much  damage  to  the  country,  and  there  re- 
mains one  year. 

In  the  same  ye^ir  Charles,  king  of  the  Franks,  went  the 
way  of  all  flesh;  but  Arnulf,  his  brother's  son,  six  weeks 
before  he  died,  had  expelled  him  from  his  kingdom.  After 
his  death  five  kings  were  appointed,  and  the  kingdom  was 
split  into  five  parts ;  but  the  principal  rank  in  the  kingdom 
justly  and  deservedly  devolved  on  Arnulf,  save  only  that  he 
committed  an  unworthy  offence  against  his  uncle.  The  other 
four  kings  promised  fidelity  and  obedience  to  Arnulf,  as  was 
proper ;  for  none  of  these  four  kings  was  hereditary  on  his 
father's  side  in  his  share  of  the  kingdom,  as  was  Arnulf; 
therefore,  though  the  five  kings  were  appointed  immediately 
•  Hyde  Abbey. 


76  XSSEB'8  LIFE  OF  ALFBED.  [aa  887. 

on  the  death  of  Charles,  yet  the  empire  remained  in  the 
hands  of  Arnulf. 

Such,  then,  was  the  division  of  the  kingdom ;  Arnulf  re- 
ceived the  countries  on  the  east  of  the  river  Rhine  ;  Rodulf 
the  inner  parts  of  the  kingdom;  Oda  the  western  part; 
Beorngar  and  Guido,  Lombardy,  and  those  countries  which 
are  in  that  part  of  the  mountains ;  but  they  did  not  keep 
these  large  dominions  in  peace,  for  they  twice  fought  a 
pitched  battle,  and  often  mutually  ravaged  their  kingdoms, 
and  drove  each  other  out  of  their  dominions. 

In  the  same  year  in  which  that  [pagan]  army  left  Parii 
and  went  to  Chezy,  Ethelhelm,  earl  of  Wiltshire,  carried  to 
Rome  the  alms  of  king  Alfred  and  of  the  Saxons. 

In  the  same  year  also  Alfred,  king  of  the  Anglo-Saxons, 
so  often  before  mentioned,  by  divine  inspiration,  began,  on 
one  and  the  same  day,  to  read  and  to  interpret ;  but  that  I 
may  explain  this  more  fully  to  those  who  are  ignorant,  I  will 
relate  the  cause  of  this  long  delay  in  beginning. 

On  a  certain  day  we  were  both  of  us  sitting  in  the  king's 
chamber,  talking  on  all  kinds  of  subjects,  as  usual,  and  it 
happened  that  I  read  to  him  a  quotation  out  of  a  certain 
book.  He  heard  it  attentively  with  both  his  ears,  and  ad- 
dressed me  with  a  thoughtful  mind,  showing  me  at  the  same 
moment  a  book  which  he  carried  in  his  bosom,  wherein  the 
daily  courses  and  psalms,  and  prayers  which  he  had  read  in 
his  youth,  were  written,  and  he  commanded  me  to  write  the 
same  quotation  in  that  book.  Hearing  this,  and  perceiving 
his  ingenuous  benevolence,  and  devout  desire  of  studying 
the  words  of  divine  wisdom,  I  gave,  though  in  secret,  bound- 
less thanks  to  Almighty  God,  who  had  implanted  such  a  love 
of  wisdom  in  the  king's  heart.  But  I  could  not  find  any 
empty  space  in  that  book  wherein  to  write  the  quotation,  for 
it  was  already  full  of  various  matters ;  wherefore  I  made  a 
little  delay,  principally  that  I  might  stir  up  the  bright  intel- 
lect of  the  king  to  a  higher  acquaintance  with  the  divine  tes- 
timonies. Upon  his  urging  me  to  make  haste  and  write  it 
quickly,  I  said  to  him,  "  Are  you  willing  that  I  should  write 
that  quotation  on  some  leaf  apart  ?  For  it  is  not  certain 
whether  we  shall  not  find  one  or  more  other  such  extracts 
which  will  please  you ;  and  if  that  should  so  happen,  we 
shall  be  glad  that  we  have  kept  them  apart."  "  Your  plan 
is  good,"  said  he,  and  I  gladly  made  haste  to  get  ready  a 


a.d.888.]  HIS  THEOLOGICAL  STUDIES.  77 

sheet,  in  the  beginning  of  which  I  wrote  what  he  hade  me ; 
and  on  that  same  day,  I  wrote  therein,  as  I  had  anticipated,  | 
no  less  than  three  other  quotations  which  pleased  him  ;  and  i 
from  that  time  we  daily  talked  together,  and  found  out  other 
quotations  which  pleased  him,  so  that  the  sheet  became  full, 
and  deservedly  so ;  according  as  it  is  written,  "  The  just 
man  builds  upon  a  moderate  foundation,  and  by  degrees 
passes  to  greater  things."  Thus,  like  a  most  productive  bee, 
he  flew  here  and  there,  asking  questions,  as  he  went,  until 
he  had  eagerly  and  unceasingly  collected  many  various 
flowers  of  divine  Scriptures,  with  which  he  thickly  stored  the 
cells  of  his  mind. 

Now  when  that  first  quotation  was  copied,  he  was  eager  at 
once  to  read,  and  to  interpret  in  Saxon,  and  then  to  teach 
others ;  even  as  we  read  of  that  happy  robber,  who  recog- 
nized his  Lord,  aye,  the  Lord  of  all  men,  as  he  was  hanging 
on  the  blessed  cross,  and,  saluting  him  with  his  bodily  eyes 
only,  because  elsewhere  he  was  all  pierced  with  nails,  cried, 
"  Lord,  remember  me  when  thou  comest  into  thy  kingdom !" 
for  it  was  only  at  the  end  of  his  life  that  he  began  to  learn 
the  rudiments  of  the  Christian  faith.  But  the  king,  inspired 
by  God,  began  to  study  the  rudiments  of  divine  Scripture  on 
the  sacred  solemnity  of  St.  Martin  [Nov.  11],  and  he  con- 
tinued to  learn  the  flowers  collected  by  certain  masters,  and 
to  reduce  them  into  the  form  of  one  book,  as  he  was  then 
able,  although  mixed  one  with  another,  until  it  became  almost 
as  large  as  a  psalter.  This  book  he  called  his  Enchiridion 
or  Manual,  because  he  carefully  kept  it  at  hand  day  and 
night,  and  found,  as  he  told  me,  no  small  consolation  therein. 

But  as  has  already  been  written  by  a  certain  wise  man, 

"  Of  watchful  minds  are  they  whose  pious  care 
It  is  to  govern  well," 

so  must  I  be  watchful,  in  that  I  just  now  drew  a  kind  of  com- 
parison or  similarity,  though  in  dissimilar  manner,  between  tnat 
happy  robber  and  the  king  ;  for  the  cross  is  hateful  to  every 
one,  wherever  there  is  suffering.  But  what  can  he  do,  if  he 
cannot  save  himself  or  escape  thence  ?  or  by  what  art  can  he 
remain  there  and  improve  his  cause  ?  He  must,  therefore, 
whether  he  will  or  no,  endure  with  pain  and  sorrow  that 
which  he  is  suffering, 
Now  the  king  was   pierced  with  many  nails  of  tribulation, 


78  ASSESS   LIFE   OF  ALFRED.  [a.d.8» 

though  placed  in  the  royal  seat ;  for  from  the  twentieth  year 
of  his  age  to  the  present  year,  which  is  his  fortieth,*  he  has 
been  constantly  afflicted  with  most  severe  attacks  of  an  un- 
known complaint,  so  that  he  has  not  a  moment's  ease  either 
from  suffering  the  pain  which  it  causes,  or  from  the  gloom 
which  is  thrown  over  him  by  the  apprehension  of  its  coming. 
Moreover,  the  constant  invasions  of  foreign  nations,  by  which 
he  was  continually  harassed  by  land  and  sea,  without  any 
interval  of  quiet,  were  a  just  cause  of  disquiet.  What 
shall  I  say  of  his  repeated  expeditions  against  the  pagans, 
his  wars,  and  incessant  occupations  of  government  ?  Of  the 
daily  embassies  sent  to  him  by  foreign  nations,  from  the 
Tyrrhenian  sea  to  the  farthest  end  of  Ireland?!  For  we 
have  seen  and  read  letters,  accompanied  with  presents,  which 
were  sent  to  him  by  Abel  the  patriarch  of  Jerusalem.  What 
shall  I  say  of  the  cities  and  towns  which  he  restored,  and 
of  others  which  he  built,  where  none  had  been  before  ?  of 
the  royal  halls  and  chambers,  wonderfully  erected  by  his 
command,  with  stone  and  wood  ?  of  the  royal  vills  constructed 
of  stone,  removed  from  their  old  site,  and  handsomely  rebuilt 
by  the  king's  command  in  more  fitting  places  ?  Besides  the 
disease  above  mentioned,  he  was  disturbed  by  the  quarrels  of 
his  friends,  who  would  voluntarily  endure  little  or  no  toil, 
though  it  was  for  the  common  necessity  of  the  kingdom ; 
but  he  alone,  sustained  by  the  divine  aid,  like  a  skilful 
pilot,  strove  to  steer  his  ship,  laden  with  much  wealth,  into 
the  safe  and  much  desired  harbour  of  his  country,  though 
almost  all  his  crew  were  tired,  and  suffered  them  not  to  faint 
or  hesitate,  though  sailing  amid  the  manifold  waves  and 
eddies  of  this  present  life. 

For  all  his  bishops,  earls,  nobles,  favourite  ministers,  and 
prefects,  who,  next  to  God  and  the  king,  had  the  whole  go- 
vernment of  the  kingdom,  as  is  fitting,  continually  received 
from  him  instruction,  respect,  exhortation,  and  command; 
nay,  at  last,  when  they  were  disobedient,  and  his  long  patienos 
was  exhausted,  he  would  reprove  them  severely,  and  censure 
at  pleasure  their  vulgar  folly  and  obstinacy ;  and  in  this  way 
he  directed  their  attention  to  the  common  interests  of  the 
kingdom.      But,  owing  to  the   sluggishness  of  the  people, 

*  This  must  consequently  have  been  written  in  a.d.  888. 
t  Wise  conjectures  that  we  ought  to  read  Hiberiae,  Spain,  and  sol 
Hiberniae,  Ireland,  in  this  passage. 


.D  888.]  EBECTS  TWO   M0XA8TEBIE8.  79 

hese  admonitions  of  the  king  were  either  not  fulfilled,  or 
vere  begun  late  at  the  moment  of  necessity,  and  so  ended 
ess  to  the  advantage  of  those  who  put  them  in  execution ; 
!6r  I  will  say  nothing  of  the  castles  which  he  ordered  to  be 
juilt,  but  which,  being  begun  late,  were  never  finished,  because 
;he  hostile  troops  broke  in  upon  them  by  land  and  sea,  and, 
is  often  happened,  the  thwarters  of  the  royal  ordinances  re- 
pented when  it  was  too  late,  and  blushed  at  their  non-perform- 
ince  of  his  commands.  I  speak  of  repentance  when  it  is  too 
ate,  on  the  testimony  of  Scripture,  whereby  numberless 
persons  have  had  cause  for  too  much  sorrow  when  many  in- 
sidious evils  have  been  wrought.  But  though  by  thlse 
neans,  sad  to  say,  they  may  be  bitterly  afflicted  and  roused 
o  sorrow  by  the  loss  of  fathers,  wives,  children,  ministers, 
errant-men,  servant-maids,  and  furniture  and  household 
tuff,  what  is  the  use  of  hateful  repentance  when  their  kins- 
uen  are  dead,  and  they  cannot  aid  them,  or  redeem  those 
*ho  are  captive  from  captivity  ?  for  they  are  not  able  even  to 
issist  those  who  have  escaped,  as  they  have  not  wherewith 
o  sustain  even  their  own  lives.  They  repented,  therefore, 
vhen  it  was  too  late,  and  grieved  at  their  incautious  neglect 
>f  the  king's  commands,  and  they  praised  the  royal  wisdom 
vith  one  voice,  and  tried  with  all  their  power  to  fulfil  what 
hey  had  before  refused,  namely,  concerning  the  erectior  of 
castles,  and  other  things  generally  useful  to  the  whole 
ringdom. 

Of  his  fixed  purpose  of  holy  meditation,  which,  in  the 
nidst  of  prosperity  and  adversity  he  never  neglected,  I  cannot  j 
►vith  advantage  now  omit  to  speak.  For,  whereas  he  often 
hought  of  the  necessities  of  his  soul,  among  the  other  good 
leeds  to  which  his  thoughts  were  night  and  day  turned,  he 
wdered  that  two  monasteries  should  be  built,  one  for  monks 
it  Athelney,  which  is  a  place  surrounded  by  impassable 
narshes  and  rivers,  where  no  one  can  enter  but  by  boats,  or 
)y  a  bridge  laboriously  constructed  between  two  other 
leights  ;  at  the  western  end  of  which  bridge  was  erected  a 
(trong  tower,  of  beautiful  work,  by  command  of  the  aforesaid 
ting ;  and  in  this  monastery  he  collected  monks  of  all  kinds, 
rom  every  quarter,  and  placed  them  therein. 

For  at  first,  because  he  had  no  one  ot  his  own  nation, 
loble  and  free  by  birth,  who  was  willing  to  enter  the  mo- 
lastic  life,  except  children,  who  could  neither  choose  good 


80  jlsseb's  life  01*  altbsd.  CwMfc 

nor  avoid  evil  in  consequence  of  their  tender  years,  because 
for  many  previous  years  the  love  of  a  monastic  life  had  utterly 
decayed  from  that  nation  as  well  as  from  many  other  nations, 
though  many  monasteries  still  remain  in  that  country ;  yet,  as 
no  one  directed  the  rule  of  that  kind  of  life  in  a  regular  way, 
for  what  reason  I  cannot  say,  either  from  the  invasions  of 
foreigners  which  took  place  so  frequently  both  by  sea  and 
land,  or  because  that  people  abounded  in  riches  of  every 
kind,  and  so  looked  with  contempt  on  the  monastic  life.  It 
was  for  this  reason  that  king  Alfred  sought  to  gather  monks 
of  different  kinds  to  place  in  the  same  monastery. 

First  he  placed  there  as  abbat,  John*  the  priest  and  monk, 
an  old  Saxon  by  birth,  then  certain  priests  and  deacons  from 
beyond  the  sea ;  of  whom,  finding  that  he  had  not  as  large  a 
number  as  he  wished,  he  procured  as  many  as  possible  of  the 
same  Gallic  race,  some  of  whom,  being  children,  he  ordered 
to  be  taught  in  the  same  monastery,  and  at  a  later  period  to 
be  admitted  to  the  monastic  habit.  I  have  myself  seen  a 
young  lad  of  pagan  birth  who  was  educated  in  that  monastery, 
and  by  no  means  the  hindmost  of  them  all. 

There  was  also  a  deed  done  once  in  that  monastery,  which 
I  would  utterly  consign  to  oblivion,  although  it  is  an  un- 
worthy deed ;  for  throughout  the  whole  of  Scripture  the  base 
deeds  of  the  wicked  are  interspersed  among  the  blessed  deeds 
of  the  just,  as  tares  and  darnel  are  sown  among  the  wheat: 
good  deeds  are  recorded  that  they  may  be  praised  and  imi- 
tated, and  that  their  imitators  may  be  held  in  all  honour ; 
wicked  deeds  are  there  related,  that  they  may  be  censured 
and  avoided,  and  their  imitators  be  reproved  with  all  odium, 
contempt,  and  vengeance. 

For  once  upon  a  time,  a  certain  priest  and  a  deacon,  Gauls 
by  birth,  and  two  of  the  aforesaid  monks,  by  the  insti- 
gation of  the  devil,  and  excited  by  some  secret  jealousy, 
became  so  embittered  in  secret  against  their  abbat,  the  above 
mentioned  John,  that,  like  Jews,  they  circumvented  and  be-  ■ 
trayed  their  master.  For  whereas  he  had  two  servants,  whom 
he  had  hired  out  of  Gaul,  they  taught  these  such  wicked 
practices,  that  in  the  night,  when  all  men  were  enjoying  the 
sweet  tranquillity  of  sleep,  they  should  make  their  way  into 
the  church  armed,  and  shutting  it  behind  them  as  usual,  bids 
themselves  therein,  and  wait  for  the  moment  when  the  abbat 
*  Not  the  celebrated  John.Scotus  Eregina. 


a.d.888.]  JOHN   THE  ABBAT.  81 

should  enter  the  church  alone.  At  length,  when  he  should 
come  alone  to  pray,  and,  bending  his  knees,  how  before  the 
holy  altar,  the  men  should  rush  on  him  with  hostility,  and 
try  to  slay  him  on  the  spot.  They  then  should  drag  his 
lifeless  body  out  of  the  church,  and  throw  it  down  before  the 
house  of  a  certain  harlot,  as  if  he  had  been  slain  whilst  on  a 
visit  to  her.  This  was  their  machination,  adding  crime  to 
crime,  as  it  is  said,  "  The  last  error  shall  be  worse  than  the 
first." 

But  the  divine  mercy,  which  always  delights  to  aid  the 
innocent,  frustrated  in  great  part  the  wicked  design  of  the 
wicked  men,  so  that  it  should  not  turn  out  in  every  respect 
as  they  had  proposed. 

When,  therefore,  the  whole,  of  the  evil  counsel  had  been 
explained  by  those  wicked  teachers  to  their  wicked  agents, 
and  the  night  which  had  been  fixed  on  as  most  fit  was  come, 
the  two  armed  ruffians  were  placed,  with  a  promise  of  im- 
punity, to  await  in  the  church  for  the  arrival  of  the  abbat. 
In  the  middle  of  the  night  John,  as  usual,  entered  the 
church  to  pray,  without  any  one's  knowing  of  it,  and  knelt 
before  the  altar.  The  two  ruffians  rushed  upon  him  with 
drawn  swords,  and  dealt  him  some  severe  wounds.  But  he, 
being  a  man  of  a  brave  mind,  and,  as  we  have  heard  say,  not 
unacquainted  with  the  art  of  self-defence,  if  he  had  not  been 
a  follower  of  a  better  calling,  no  sooner  heard  the  sound  of 
the  robbers,  before  he  saw  them,  than  he  rose  up  against 
them  before  he  was  wounded,  and,  shouting  as  loud  as  he 
could,  struggled  against  them,  crying,  out  that  they  were 
devils  and  not  men ;  for  he  himself  knew  no  better,  as  he 
thought  that  no  men  would  dare  to  attempt  such  a  deed. 
He  was,  however,  wounded  before  any  of  his  people  could 
come  to  his  help.  His  attendants,  roused  by  the  noise,  were 
frightened  when  they  heard  the  word  devils,  and  both  those 
two  who,  like  Jews,  sought  to  betray  their  master,  and  the 
others  who  knew  nothing  of  the  matter,  rushed  together  to 
the  doors  of  the  church  5  hut  before  they  got  there  those 
ruffians  escaped,  leaving  the  abbat  half  dead.  The  monks 
raised  the  old  man,  in  a  fainting  condition,  and  carried  him 
home  with  tears  and  lamentations ;  nor  did  those  two  de- 
ceitful monks  shed  tears  less  than  the  innocent.  But  God's 
mercy  did  not  allow  so  bold  a  deed  to  pass  unpunished ;  the 
ruffians  who  perpetrated  it,  and  all  who  urged  them  to  it, 


82  asses's  LIFE  OF  ALFBSD.  [A,*  868. 

were  taken  and  put  in  prison,  where,  by  various  tortures, 
they  came  to  a  disgraceful  end.  Let  us  now  return  to  our 
narrative. 

Another  monastery,  also,  was  built  by  the  same  king  as  a 
residence  for  nuns,  near  the  eastern  gate  of  Shaftesbury ;  and 
his  own  daughter,  Ethelgiva,  was  placed  in  it  as  abbess. 
With  her  many  other  noble  ladies  bound  by  the  rules  of  the 
monastic  life,  dwell  in  that  monastery.  These  two  edifices 
were  enriched  by  the  king  with  much  land,  as  well  as  perso- 
nal property. 

These  things  being  thus  disposed  of,  the  king  began,  as 
was  his  practice,  to  consider  within  himself,  what  more  he 
could  do  to  augment  and  show  forth  his  piety ;  what  he  had 
begun  wisely,  and  thoughtfully  conceived  for  the  public 
benefit,  was  adhered  to  with  equally  beneficial  result ;  for 
he  had  heard  it  out  of  the  book  of  the  law,  that  the 
Lord  had  promised  to  restore  to  him  tenfold ;  and  he 
knew  that  the  Lord  had  kept  his  promise,  and  had  actually 
restored  to  him  tenfold.  Encouraged  by  this  example,  and 
wishing  to  exceed  the  practices  of  his  predecessors,  he  vowed 
humbly  and  faithfully  to  devote  to  God  half  his  services, 
both  day  and  night,  and  also  half  of  all  his  wealth,  such  as 
lawfully  and  justly  came  annually  into  his  possession;  and 
this  vow,  as  far  as  human  discretion  can  perceive  and  keep, 
he  skilfully  and  wisely  endeavoured  to  fulfil.  But,  that  he 
might,  with  his  usual  caution,  avoid  that  which  scripture 
warns  us  against :  "  If  you  offer  aright,  but  do  not  divide 
aright,  you  sin,"  he  considered  how  he  might  divide  aright 
that  which  he  had  vowed  to  God  ;  and  as  Solomon  had  said, 
"  The  heart  of  the  king  is  in  the  hand  of  God,"  that  is,  his 
counsel  he  ordered  with  wise  policy,  which  could  come  only 
from  above,  that  his  officers  should  first  divide  into  two  parts 
the  revenues  of  every  year. 

When  this  division  was  made,  he  assigned  the  first  part  to 
worldly  uses,  and  ordered  that  one-third  of  it  should  be  paid 
to  his  soldiers,  and  also  to  his  ministers,  the  nobles  who 
dwelt  at  court  where  they  discharged  divers  duties ;  for  so 
the  king's  family  was  arranged  at  all  times  into  three  classes. 
The  king's  attendants  were  most  wisely  distributed  into  three 
companies,  so  that  the  first  company  should  be  on  duty  at 
court  for  one  month%  night  and  day,  at  the  end  of  which  they 
returned  to  their  homes,  and  were  relieved  by  the  second 


A.&888J  AXFBED's  DEV0TEIWS8S.  83 

company.  At  the  end  of  the  second  month,  in  the  same 
way,  the  third  company  relieved  the  second,  who  returned  to 
their  homes,  where  they  spent  two  months,  until  their  ser- 
vices were  again  wanted.  The  third  company  also  gave  place 
to  the  first  in  the  same  way,  and  also  spent  two  months  at 
home.  Thus  was  the  threefold  division  of  the  companies  ar- 
ranged at  all  times  in  the  royal  household. 

To  these  therefore  was  paid  the  first  of  the  three  portions 
aforesaid,  to  each  according  to  their  respective  dignities  and 
peculiar  services ;  the  second  to  the  operatives,  whom  he  had 
collected  from  every  nation,  and  had  about  him  in  large  num- 
bers, men  skilled  in  every  kind  of  construction ;  the  third 
portion  was  assigned  to  foreigners  who  came  to  him  out  of 
every  nation  far  and  near,  whether  they  asked  money  of  him 
or  not,  he  cheerfully  gave  to  each  with  wonderful  munificence 
according  to  their  respective  merits,  according  to  what  is 
written :  "  God  loveth  a  cheerful  giver." 

But  the  second  part  of  all  his  revenues,  which  came  yearly 
into  his  possession,  and  was  included  in  the  receipts  of  the 
exchequer,  as  we  mentioned  a  little  before,  he,  with  ready  de- 
votion, gave  to  God,  ordering  his  ministers  to  divide  it  care- 
fully into  four  parts,  on  the  condition  that  the  first  part  should 
be  discreetly  bestowed  on  the  poor  of  every  nation  who  came 
to  him ;  and  on  this  subject  he  said  that,  as  far  as  human 
discretion  could  guarantee,  the  remark  of  pope  St.  Gregory 
should  be  followed  :  "  Give  not  much  to  whom  you  should 
give  little,  nor  little  to  whom  much,  nor  something  to  whom 
nothing,  nor  nothing  to  whom  something."  The  second  of 
the  four  portions  was  given  to  the  two  monasteries  which  he 
had  built,  and  to  those  who  therein  had  dedicated  themselves 
to  God's  service,  as  we  have  mentioned  above.  The  third 
portion  was  assigned  to  the  school,  which  he  had  studiously 
collected  together,  consisting  of  many  of  the  nobility  of  his 
own  nation.  The  fourth  portion  was  for  the  use  of  all 
the  neighbouring  monasteries  in  all  Saxony  and  Mercia,  and 
also  during  some  years,  in  turn,  to  the  churches  and  servants 
of  God  dwelling  in  Britain  [Wales],  Cornwall,  Gaul,  Ar- 
morica,  Northumbria,  and  sometimes  also  in  Ireland ;  accord- 
ing to  his  means,  he  either  distributed  to  them  beforehand,  or 
afterwards,  if  life  and  success  should  not  fail  him. 

When  the  Jung  had  arranged  these  matters,  he  remem- 
bered that  sentence  of  divine  scripture,   "Whosoever  will 

g2 


84  asser's  life  of  alfbed*  [a.a.888. 

give  alms,  ought  to  begin  from  himself,"  and  prudently  be- 
gan to  reflect  what  he  could  offer  to  God  from  the  service  of 
his  body  and  mind ;  for  he  proposed  to  consecrate  to  God  no 
less  out  of  this  than  he  had  done  of  things  external  to  him-* 
self.  Moreover,  he  promised,  as  far  as  his  infirmity  and  his 
means  would  allow,  to  give  up  to  God  the  half  of  his  ser- 
vices, bodily  and  mental,  by  night  and  by  day,  voluntarily, 
and  with  all  his  might ;  but,  inasmuch  as  he  could  not 
equally  distinguish  the  lengths  of  the  hours  by  night,  on  ac- 
count of  the  darkness,  and  ofttimes  of  the  day,  on  account  of 
the  storms  and  clouds,  he  began  to  consider,  by  what  means 
and  without  any  difficulty,  relying  on  the  mercy  of  God,  he 
might  discharge  the  promised  tenor  of  his  row  until  his 
death. 

After  long  reflection  on  these  things,  he  at  length,  by  a 
useful  and  shrewd  invention,  commanded  his  chaplains  to 
supply  wax  in  a  sufficient  quantity,  and  he  caused  it  to  be 
weighed  in  such  a  manner  that  when  there  was  so  much  of 
it  in  the  scales,  as  would  equal  the  weight  of  seventy-two 
pence,*  he  caused  the  chaplains  to  make  six  candles  thereof, 
each  of  equal  length,  so  that  each  candle  might  have  twelve 
divisions  f  marked  longitudinally  upon  it.  By  this  plan, 
therefore,  those  six  candles  burned  for  twenty-four  hours,  a 
night  and  day,  without  fail,  before  the  sacred  relics  of  many 
of  God's  elect,  which  always  accompanied  him  wherever  he 
went ;  but  sometimes  when  they  would  not  continue  burning 
a  whole  day  and  night,  till  the  same  hour  that  they  were 
lighted  the  preceding  evening,  from  the  violence  of  the  wind, 
which  blew  day  and  night  without  intermission  through  the 
doors  and  windows  of  the  churches,  the  fissures  of  the  divi- 
sions, the  plankings,  or  the  wall,  or  the  thin  canvass  of  the 
tents,  they  then  unavoidably  burned  out  and  finished  their 
cour.se  before  the  appointed  time ;  the  king  therefore  consi- 
dered by  what  means  he  might  shut  out  the  wind,  and  so  by 
a  useful  and  cunning  .invention,  he  ordered  a  lantern  to  be 
beautifully  constructed  of  wood  and  white  ox-horn,  which, 
when  skilfully  planed  till  it  is  thin,  is  no  less  transparent 
than  a  vessel  of  glass.  This  lantern,  therefore,  was  wonder- 
fully made  of  wood  and  horn,  as  we  before  said,  and  by 
night  a  candle  was  put  into  it,  which  shone  as  brightly  with- 
out as  within,  and  was  not  extinguished  by  the  wind ;  for  the 
*  Denarii.  t  Uncie  pollicia. 


A.p.888.]  Hit  IMPABTIJLLITY.  85 

opening  of  the  lantern  was  also  closed  up,  according  to  the 
king's  command,  by  a  door  made  of  horn. 

By  this  contrivance,  then,  six  candles,  lighted  in  succession, 
lasted  four  and  twenty  hours,  neither  more  nor  less,  and, 
when  these  were  extinguished,  others  were  lighted. 

When  all  these  things  were  properly  arranged,  the  king, 
eager  to  give  up  to  God  the  half  of  his  daily  service,  as  he 
had  vowed,  and  more  also,  if  his  ability  on  the  one  hand, 
and  his  malady  on  the  other,  would  allow  him,  showed 
himself  a  minute  investigator  of  the  truth  in  all  his  judg- 
ments, and  this  especially  for  the  sake  of  the  poor,  to  whose 
interest,  day  and  night,  among  other  duties  of  this  life,'  he 
ever  was  wonderfully  attentive.  For  in  the  whole  kingdom 
the  poor,  besides  him,  had  few  or  no  protectors;  for  all  the 
powerful  and  noble  of  that  country  had  turned  their  thoughts 
rather  to  secular  than  to  heavenly  things:  each  was  more 
bent  on  secular  matters,  to  his  own  profit,  than  on  the  public 
good. 

He  strove  also,  in  his  own  judgments,  for  the  benefit  of 
both  the  noble  and  the  ignoble,  who  often  perversely  quar- 
relled at  the  meetings  of  his  earls  and  officers,  so  that 
hardly  one  of  them  admitted  the  justice  of  what  had  been 
decided  by  the  earls  and  prefects,  and  in  consequence  of 
this  pertinacious  and  obstinate  dissension,  all  desired  to 
have  the  judgment  of  the  king,  and  both  sides  sought  at 
once  to  gratify  their  desire.  But  if  any  one  was  conscious 
of  injustice  on  his  side  in  the  suit,  though  by  Jaw  and 
agreement  he  was  compelled,  however  reluctant,  to  go  before 
the  king,  yet  with  his  own  good  will  he  never  would  consent 
to  go.  For  he  knew,  that  in  the  king's  presence  no  part 
of  his  wrong  would  be  hidden ;  and  no  wonder,  for  the  king 
was  a  most  acute  investigator  in  passing  sentence,  as  he  was 
in  all  other  things.  He  inquired  into  almost  all  the  judgments 
which  were  given  in  his  own  absence,  throughout  all  his 
dominion,  whether  they  were  just  or  unjust.  If  he  perceived 
there  was  iniquity  in  those  judgments,  he  summoned  the 
judges,  either  through  his  own  agency,  or  through  others  of 
his  faithful  servants,  and  asked  them  mildly,  why  they  had 

1'udged  so  unjustly ;  whether  through  ignorance  or  malevo- 
ence ;  i.  e.,  whether  for  the  love  or  fear  of  any  one,  or  hatred  of 
others ;  or  also  for  the  desire  of  money.  At  length,  if  the 
judges  acknowledged  they  had  given  judgment  because  they 


86  ASSET'S  LtfE  0*  ALFEEtt*  U.d.883 

knew  no  Better,  he  discreetly  and  moderately  reproved  theL 
inexperience  and  folly  in  sueh  terms  as  these :  "  I  wcmdei 
truly  at  your  insolence,  that,  whereas  by  God's  favour  anc 
mine,  you  have  occupied  the  rank  and  office  of  the  wise 
you  have  neglected  the  studies  and  labours  of  the  wise 
Either,  therefore,  at  once  give  up  the  discharge  of  the  tern- 
poral  duties  which  you  hold,  or  endeavour  more  zealousrj 
to  study  the  lessons  of  wisdom.  Such  are  my  commands.' 
At  these  words  the  earls  and  prefects  would  tremble 
and  endeavour  to  turn  all  their  thoughts  to  the  study  ol 
justice,  so  that,  wonderful  to  say,  almost  all  his  earls,  pre- 
fects,  and  officers,  though  unlearned  frdm  their  cradles,  were 
sedulously  bent  upon  acquiring  learning,  choosing  rather  la- 
boriously to  acquire  the  knowledge  of  a  new  discipline  than 
to  resign  their  functions ;  but  if  any  one  of  them  from  old 
age  or  slowness  of  talent  was  unable  to  make  progress  in 
liberal  studies,  he  commanded  his  son,  if  he  had  one,  01 
one  of  his  kinsmen,  or,  if  there  was  no  other  person  to  be 
had,  his  own  freedman  or  servant,  whom  he  had  some  time 
before  advanced  to  the  office  of  reading,  to  recite  Saxon 
books  before  him  night  and  day,  whenever  he  had  any  lei- 
sure, and  they  lamented  with  deep  sighs,  in  their  inmost 
hearts,  that  in  their  youth  they  had  never  attended  to  such 
studies ;  and  they  blessed  the  young  men  of  our  days,  who 
happily  could  be  instructed  in  the  liberal  arts,  whilst  they 
execrated  their  own  lot,  that  they  had  not  learned  these 
things  in  their  youth,  and  now,  when  they  are  old,  though 
wishing  to  learn  them,  they  are  unable.  But  this  skill  oi 
young  and  old  in  acquiring  letters,  we  have  explained  to 
the  knowledge  of  the  aforesaid  king.* 

*  Some  of  the  MSS.  record,  in  a  note  or  appendix  written  by  a  lata 
hand,  that  king  Alfred  died  on  the  26th  of  October,  a.d.  900,  in  the  thir- 
tieth of  his  reign.  «  The  different  dates  assigned  to  the  death  of  Alfred,' 
says  Sir  Francis  Palgrave,  "afford  a  singular  proof  of  the  uncertainty  aris 
ing  from  various  modes  of  computation.  The  Saxon  Chronicle  and  Flo 
rence  of  Worcester  agree  in  placing  the  event  in  901.  The  first  'six  night 
before  All  Saints;'  the  last,  with  more  precision,  *  Indictione  quarta,  e 
Feria  quarta,  5  Cal.  Nov.'  Simon  of  Durham,  in  889,  and  the  Saxo: 
Chronicle,  in  another  passage,  in  900.  The  concurrents  of  Florence  c 
Worcester  seem  to  afford  the  greatest  certainty,  and  the  date  of  901  hfl 
therefore  been  preferred." 


GEOFFREY  OP  MONMOUTH'S 
BRITISH  HISTORY. 


GEOFFREY  OF  MONMOUTH'S 
BRITISH  HISTORY. 


BOOK  I. 


Chap.  I. — The  epistle  dedicatory  to  Robert  eart  of  Gloucester* 

Wst  occupied  on  many  and  various  studies,  I  happened 
light  upon  the  History  of  the  Kings  of  Britain,  and 
ondered  that  in  the  account  which  Gildas  and  Bede,  in 
eir  elegant  treatises,  had  given  of  them,  I  found  nothing 
id  of  those  kings  who  lived  here  before  the  Incarnation  of 
brat,  nor  of  Arthur,  and  many  others  who  succeeded  after 
e  Incarnation ;  though  their  actions  both  deserved  immortal 
me,  and  were  also  celebrated  by  many  people  in  a  pleasant 
anner  and  by  heart,  as  if  they  had  been  written.  Whilst 
was  intent  upon  these  and  such  like  thoughts,  Walter, 
chdeacon  of  Oxford,  f  a  man  of  great  eloquence,  and 
*rned  in  foreign  histories,  offered  me  a  very  ancient  book 
the  British  tongue,  which,  in  a  continued  regular  story 
id  elegant  style,  related  the  actions  of  them  all,  from 
rutus  the  first  king  of  the  Britons,  down  to  Cadwallader 
e  son  of  Cadwallo.  At  his  request,  therefore,  though  I 
td  not  made  fine  language  my  study,  by  collecting  florid 
cpressions  from  other  authors,  yet  contented  with  my  own 
>mely  style,  I  undertook  the  translation  of  that  book  into 
itin.    For  if  I  had  swelled  the  pages  with  rhetorical 

*  Robert,  earl  of  Gloucester  was  the  natural  son,  of  king  Henry  I.  by 

M*e  command  he  swore  fealty  to  the  empress  Matilda,  daughter  of  that 

>parch.    To  prove  his  fidelity,  he  rebelled  against  king  Stephen,  and 

unly  contributed  to  the  success  of  Henry  son  of  the  empress,  afterwards 

oayll. 

t  Thought  to  be  Walter  Mapes  the  poet,  author  of  several  ludicrous 

d  satirical  compositions. 


dtl<* 


90  Geoffrey's  British  history.  [«mkl 

flourishes,  I  must  have  tired  my  headers,  by  employing  their 
attention  more  upon  my  words  than  upon  the  history.  To 
you,  therefore,  Robert  earl  of  Gloucester,  this  work  humbly 
sues  for  the  favour  of  being  so  corrected  by  your  advice,  that 
it  may  not  be  thought  to  be  the  poor  offspring  of  Geoffrey  of 
Monmouth,  but  when  polished  by  your  refined  wit  and 
judgment,  the  production  of  him  who  had  Henry  the  glorious 
king  of  England  for  his  father,  and  whom  we  see  an 
accomplished  scholar  and  philosopher,  as  well  as  a  brave 
soldier  and  expert  commander ;  so  that  Britain  with  joy 
acknowledges,  that  in  you  she  possesses  another  Henry* 

Chap.  II. — the  first  inhabitant*  of  Britain. 

Britain,  the  best  of  islands^  is  situated  in  the  Western 
Ocean,  between  France  and  Ireland,  being  eight  hundred 
miles  long,  and  two  hundred  broad.  It  produces  every 
thing  that  is  useful  to  man,  with  a  plenty  that  never  fails. 
It  abounds  with  all  kinds  of  metal,  and  has  plains  of  large 
extent,  and  hills  fit  for  the  finest  tillage,  the  richness  of 
whose  soil  affords  variety  of  fruits  in  their  proper  seasons. 
It  has  also  forests  well  stored  with  all  kinds  of  wild  beasts ; 
in  its  lawns  cattle  find  good  change  of  pasture,  and  bees 
variety  of  flowers  for  honey.  Under  its  lofty  mountains  lie 
green  meadows  pleasantly  situated,  in  which  the  gentle 
murmurs  of  crystal  springs  gliding  along  clear  channels, 
give  those  that  pass  an  agreeable  invitation  to  lie  down  on 
their  banks  and  slumber.  It  is  likewise  well  watered  with 
lakes  and  rivers  abounding  with  fish ;  and  besides  the 
narrow  sea  which  is  on  the  Southern  coast  towards  France, 
there  are  three  noble  rivers,  stretching  out  like  three  arms, 
namely,  the  Thames,  the  Severn,  and  the  Humber;  by 
which  foreign  commodities  from  all  countries  are  brought 
into  it.  It  was  formerly  adorned  with  eight  and  twenty 
cities,*  of  which  some  are  in  ruins  and  desolate,  others 
are  still  standing,  beautified  with  lofty  church»towert> 
wherein  religious  worship  is  performed  according  to  the 
Christian  institution.  It  is  lastly  inhabited  by  five  different 
nations,  the  Britons,  Romans,  Saxons,  Picts,  and   Scots;* 


•  The  names  of  thirty-three  cities  will  be  found  in  Nenntarii  Hktotvrf 
the  Britons,  §  7. 


ch.  3.]  BlKTH  OF  fe&UTUS*  91 

whereof  the  Britons  before  the  rest  did  formerly  possess  \ 
the  whole  island  from  sea  to  sea,  till  divine  vengeance,    \ 
punishing  them  for  their  pride,  made  them  give  way  to    < 
the   Picts   and   Saxons.     But  in  what  manner,  and  from 
whence*  they  first  arrived  here,  remains  now  to  be  related 
in  what  follows.* 

Chap.  III. — Brutus,  being  banished  after  the  killing  of  his  parent*, 
goes  into  Greece* 

After  the  Trojan  war,  JEneas,  flying  with  Ascanius  from 
the  destruction  of  their  city,  sailed  to  Italy.  There  he  was 
honourably  received  by  king  Latinus,  which  raised  against 
him  the  envy  of  Turnus,  king  of  the  Rutuli,  who  thereupon 
made  war  against  him.  Upon  their  engaging  in  battle, 
JEneas  got  the  victory,  and  having  killed  Turnus*  obtained 
the  kingdom  of  Italy,  and  with  it  Lavinia  the  daughter  of 
Latinus.  After  his  death,  Ascanius,  succeeding  in  the 
kingdom,  built  Alba  upon  the  Tiber,  and  begat  a  son  named 
Sylvius,  who,  in  pursuit  of  a  private  amour,  took  to  wife  a 
niece  of  Lavinia.  The  damsel  soon  after  conceived,  and  the 
father  Ascanius,  coming  to  the  knowledge  of  it,  commanded 
his  magicians  to  consult  of  what  sex  the  child  should  be. 
When  they  had  satisfied  themselves  in  the  matter,  they  told 
him  she  would  give  birth  to  a  boy,  who  would  kill  his  father 
and  mother,  and  after  travelling  over  many  countries  in 
banishment,  would  at  last  arrive  at  the  highest  pitch  of 
glory.  Nor  were  they  mistaken  in  their  prediction  ;  for  at 
the  proper  time  the  woman  brought  forth  a  son,  and  died  of 
his  birth  ;  but  the  child  was  delivered  to  a  nurse  and  called 
Brutus* 

At  length,  after  fifteen  years  were  expired,  the  youth 
accompanied  his  father  in  hunting,  and  killed  him  un- 
designedly by  the  shot  of  an  arrow.  For,  as  the  servants 
Were  driving  up  the  deer  towards  them,  Brutus,  in  shooting 
at  them,  smote  his  father  under  the  breast.  Upon  his  death, 
he  was  expelled  from  Italy,  his  kinsmen  being  enraged  at 
him  for  so  heinous  a  deed.  Thus  banished  he  went  into 
Greece,  where  he  found  the  posterity  of  Helenus,  son  of 

•  This  brief  description  of  Britain  is  taken  almost  word  for  word  from 
the  more  authentic  historians,  Bede,  Orosius,  &Ct 


92  GEOFFREY'S  BRITISH  HISTORY.  lm«|. 

Priamus,  kept  in  slavery  by  Pandrasus,  king  of  the  Greeks* 
For,  after  the  destruction  of  Troy,  Pyrrhus,  the  son  of 
Achilles,  had  brought  hither  in  chains  Helenas  and  many 
others  ;  and  to  revenge  on  them  the  death  of  his  father,  had 
given  command  that  they  should  be  held  in  captivity. 
Brutus,  finding  they  were  by  descent  his  old  countrymen, 
took  up  his  abode  among  them,  and  began  to  distinguish 
himself  by  his  conduct  and  bravery  in  war,  so  as  to  gain  the 
affection  of  kings  and  commanders,  and  above  all  the  young 
men  of  the  country.  For  he  was  esteemed  a  person  of 
great  capacity  both  in  council  and  war,  and  signalized  his 
generosity  to  his  soldiers,  by  bestowing  among  them  all  the 
money  and  spoil  he  got.  His  fame,  therefore,  spreading  over 
all  countries,  the  Trojans  from  all  parts  began  to  flock  to 
him,  desiring  under  his  command  to  be  freed  from  subjection 
to  the  Greeks ;  which  they  assured  him  might  easily  be  done! 
considering  how  much  their  number  was  now  increased  in 
the  country,  being  seven  thousand  strong,  besides  women 
and  children.  There  was  likewise  then  in  Greece  a  noble 
youth  named  Assaracus,  a  favourer  of  their  cause.  Fox  he 
was  descended  on  his  mother's  side  from  the  Trojans,  and 
placed  great  confidence  in  them,  that  he  might  be  able  by 
their  assistance  to  oppose  the  designs  of  the  Greeks.  For 
his  brother  had  a  quarrel  with  him  for  attempting  to  deprive 
him  of  three  castles  which  his  father  had  given  him  at  his 
death,  on  account  of  his  being  only  the  son  of  a  concubine ; 
but  as  the  brother  was  a  Greek,  both  by  his  father's  and 
mother's  side,  he  had  prevailed  with  the  king  and  the  rest  of 
the  Greeks  to  espouse  his  cause.  Brutus,  having  taken  a 
view  of  the  number  of  his  men,  and  seen  how  Assaracos's 
castles  lay  open  to  him,  complied  with  their  request* 

Chap.  IV. — Brutus^s  letter  to  Pandrasus. 

Being,  therefore,  chosen  their  commander,  he  assembled  the 
Trojans  from  all  parts,  and  fortified  the  towns  belonging  to 
Assaracus,     But  he  himself,  with  Assaracus  and  the  whole 

•  It  is  unnecessary  to  remind  the  classical  reader  that  the  hiftmfrmff  of 
Greece  and  Italy  make  no  mention  of  Brutus  and  his  adventures.  The 
minuteness  of  detail,  so  remarkable  in  the  whole  story,  aa  related  by 
Geoffrey,  is  an  obvious  objection  to  its  authenticity. 


en*.]  BBttrWs  LETTER  TO  ^ANDEAStJS.  &S 

body  of  men  and  women  that  adhered  to  him,  retired  to  the 
woods  and  hills,  and  then  sent  a  letter  to  the  king  in  these 
Words : — 

"Brutus,  general  of  the  remainder  of  the  Trojans,  to 
Pandrasus,  king  of  the  Greeks,  sends  greeting.  As  it  was 
beneath  the  dignity  of  a  nation  descended  from  the  illus- 
trious race  of  Dardanus,  to  he  treated  in  your  kingdom 
otherwise  than  the  nobility  of  their  birth  required,  they 
have  betaken  themselves  to  the  protection  of  the  woods. 
For  they  have  preferred  living  after  the  manner  of  wild 
beasts,  upon  flesh  and  herbs,  with  the  enjoyment  of  liberty, 
to  continuing  longer  in  the  greatest  luxury  under  the  yoke 
of  slavery.  If  this  gives  your  majesty  any  offence,  impute 
it  not  to  them,  but  pardon  it ;  since  it  is  the  common  senti- 
ment of  every  captive,  to  be  desirous  of  regaining  his  former 
dignify*  Let  pity  therefore  move  you  to  bestow  on  them 
freely  their  lost  liberty,  and  permit  them  to  inhabit  the 
thickest  of  the  woods,  to  which  they  have  retired  to  avoid 
slavery.  But  if  you  deny  them  this  favour,  then  by  your 
permission  and  assistance  let  them  depart  into  some  foreign 
country.'* 

Chap.  V. — Brutus  failing  upon  the  forces  of  Pandrasus  by  surprise, 
routs  them,  and  takes  Antigonus,  the  brother  of  Pandrasus,  with 
AnacUtns,  prisoner. 

Pandrasus,  perceiving  the  purport  of  the  letter,  was  be- 
yond measure  surprised  at  the  boldness  of  such  a  message 
from  those  whom  he  had  kept  in  slavery ;  and  having  called 
a  council  of  his  nobles,  he  determined  to  raise  an  army  in 
order  to  pursue  them.  But  while  he  was  upon  his  march  to 
the  deserts,  where  he  thought  they  were,  and  to  the  town  of 
Sparatinum,  Brutus  made  a  sally  with  three  thousand  men, 
and  fell  upon  him  unawares.  For  having  intelligence  of  his 
coming,  he  had  got  into  the  town  the  night  before,  with  a 
design  to  break  forth  upon  them  unexpectedly,  while  un- 
armed and  marching  without  order.  The  sally  being  made, 
the  Trojans  briskly  attack  them,  and  endeavour  to  make  a 
great  slaughter.  The  Greeks,  astonished,  immediately  give 
way  on  all  sides,  and  with  the  king  at  their  head,  hasten  to 
pass  the  river  Akalon,*  which  runs  near  the  place ;  but  in 
•  The  Achelous,  or  perhaps  the  Acheron. 


94  Geoffrey's  British  eostobt. 

passing  are  in  great  danger  from  the  rapidity  of  the 
Brutus  galls  them  in  their  flight,  and  kills  some  of  them  in 
the  stream,  and  some  upon  the  hanks;  and  running  to  and 
fro,  rejoices  to  see  them  in  both  places  exposed  to  ruin. 
But  Antigonus,  the  brother  of  Fandrasus,  grieved  at  this 
sight,  rallied  his  scattered  troops,  and  made  a  quick  return 
upon  the  furious  Trojans ;  for  he  rather  chose  to  die  making 
a  brave  resistance,  than  to  be  drowned  in  a  muddy  pool  in  a 
shameful  flight.  Thus  attended  with  a  close  body  of  men, 
he  encouraged  them  to  stand  their  ground,  and  employed 
his  whole  force  against  the  enemy  with  great  vigour,  but  to 
little  or  no  purpose ;  for  the  Trojans  had  arms,  but  the  others 
none ;  and  from  this  advantage  they  were  more  eager  in  the 
pursuit,  and  made  a  miserable  slaughter ;  nor  did  they  give 
over  the  assault  till  they  had  made  nearly  a  total  destruc- 
tion, and  taken  Antigonus,  and  Anacletus  his  companion 
prisoners, 


/ 


Chap.  VI. — The  town  of  Sparatinum  besieged  by  Pandratu*. 


Brutus,  after  the  victory,  reinforced  the  town  with  six  hun- 
dred men,  and  then  retired  to  the  woods,  where  the  Trojan 
people  were  expecting  his  protection.  In  the  meantime 
Fandrasus,  grieving  at  his  own  flight  and  his  brother's 
captivity,  endeavoured  that  night  to  re-assemble  his  broken 
forces,  and  the  next  morning  went  with  a  body  of  his  people 
which  he  had  got' together,  to  besiege  the  town,  into  which 
he  supposed  Brutus  had  put  himself  with  Antigonus  and  the 
rest  of  the  prisoners  that  he  had  taken.  As  soon  as  he  was 
arrived  at  the  walls,  and  had  viewed  the  situation  of  the 
castle,  he  divided  his  army  into  several  bodies,  and  placed 
them  round  it  in  different  stations.  One  party  was  charged 
not  to  suffer  any  of  the  besieged  to  go  out ;  another  to  torn 
the  courses  of  the  rivers ;  and  a  third  to  beat  down  the  walls 
with  battering  rams  and  other  engines.  In  obedience  to 
those  commands,  they  laboured  with  their  utmost  force  to 
distress  the  besieged ;  and  night  coming  on,  made  choice  of 
their  bravest  men  to  defend  their  camp  and  tents  from  the 
incursions  of  the  enemy,  while  the  rest,  who  were  fatigued 
with  labour,  refreshed  themselves  with  sleep. 


ch.  7.]  STRATAGEM  0?   BRUTUS,  95 


./Chap.  VII. — The  besieged  ask  assistance  qf  Brutus* 

But  the  besieged,  standing  on  the  top  of  the  walls,  were  no 
less  vigorous  to  repel  the  force  of  the  enemies'  engines,  and 
assault  them  with  their  own,  and  cast  forth  darts  and  fire- 
brands with  a  unanimous  resolution  to  make  a  valiant  de- 
fence. And  when  a  breach  was  made  through  the  wall, 
they  compelled  the  enemy  to  retire,  by  throwing  upon  them 
fire  and  scalding  water.  But  being  distressed  through 
scarcity  of  provision  and  daily  labour,  they  sent  an  urgent 
message  to  Brutus,  to  hasten  to  their  assistance,  for  they 
were  afraid  they  might  be  so  weakened  as  to  be  obliged  to 
quit  the  town.  Brutus,  though  desirous  of  relieving  them, 
was  under  great  perplexity,  as  he  had  not  men  enough  to 
stand  a  pitched  battle,  and  therefore  made  use  of  a  strata- 
gem, by  which  he  proposed  to  enter  the  enemies'  camp  by 
night,  and  having  deceived  their  watch  to  kill  them  in  their 
sleep.  But  because  he  knew  this  was  impracticable  without 
the  concurrence  and  assistance  of  some  Greeks,  he  called  to 
him  Anacletus,  the  companion  of  Antigonus,  and  with  a 
drawn  sword  in  his  hand,  spake  to  him  after  this  manner  : — 
"  Noble  youth  !  your  own  and  Antigonus's  life  is  now  at 
an  end,  unless  you  will  faithfully  perform  what  I  command 
you.  This  night  I  design  to  invade  the  camp  of  the  Greeks, 
and  fall  upon  them  unawares,  but  am  afraid  of  being  hin- 
dered in  the  attempt  if  the  watch  should  discover  the  strata- 
gem. Since  it  will  be  necessary,  therefore,  to  have  them 
killed  first,  I  desire  to  ma^e  use  of  you  to  deceive  them,  that 
I  may  have  the  easier  access  to  the  rest.  Do  you  therefore 
manage  this  affair  cunningly.  At  the  second  hour  of  the 
night  go  to  the  watch,  and  with  fair  speeches  tell  them  that 
you  have  brought  away  Antigonus  from  prison,  and  that  he 
is  come  to  the  bottom  of  the  woods,  where  he  lies  hid  among 
the  shrubs,  and  cannot  get  any  farther,  by  reason  of  the 
fetters  with  which  you  shall  pretend  that  he  is  bound. 
Then  you  shall  conduct  them,  as  if  it  were  to  deliver  him, 
to  the  end  of  the  wood,  where  I  will  attend  with  a  band  of 
men  ready  to  kill  them." 


\ 


96 ,  OEO&'FREy's  BRITISH  HlStOBti 


f  Chjl 


Chap.  VIII.— Anacletus,  in  fear  of  death,  betrays  the  army  of  the  Oretkt. 

Axacletus,  seeing  the  sword  threatening  him  with  imme* 
diate  death  while  these  worda  were  being  pronounced,  was 
so  terrified  as  to  promise  upon  oath,  that  on  condition  he 
and  Antigonus  should  have  longer  life  granted  them,  he 
would  execute  his  command.  Accordingly,  the  agreement 
being  confirmed,  at  the  second  hour  of  the  night  he  directs 
his  way  towards  the  Grecian  camp,  and  when  he  was  come 
near  to  it,  the  watch,  who  were  then  narrowly  examining  all 
the  places  where  any  one  could  hide,  ran  out  from  all  parts 
to  meet  him,  and  demanded  the  occasion  of  his  coming,  and 
whether  it  was  not  to  betray  the  army.  He>  with  a  show  of 
great  joy,  made  the  following  answer : — "  I  come  not  to  be- 
tray my  country,  but  having  made  my  escape  from  the  prison 
of  the  Trojans,  I  fly  thither  to  desire  you  would  go  with  me 
to  Antigonus,  whom  I  have  delivered  from  Brutus's  chains* 
For  being  not  able  to  come  with  me  for  the  weight  of  his 
fetters,  I  have  a  little  while  ago  caused  him  to  lie  hid  among 
the  shrubs  at  the  end  of  the  wood,  till  I  could  meet  with 
Some  one  whom  I  might  conduct  to  his  assistance."  While 
they  were  in  suspense  about  the  truth  of  this  story,  there 
came  one  who  knew  him,  and  after  he  had  saluted  him,  told 
them  who  he  was ;  so  that  now,  without  any  hesitation,  they 
quickly  called  their  absent  companions,  and  followed  him' to 
the  wood  where  he  had  told  them  Antigonus  lay  hid.  But 
at  length,  as  they  were  going  among  the  shrubs,  BrutuS  with 
his  armed  bands  springs  forth,  and  falls  upon  them,  while 
under  the  greatest  astonishment,  with  a  most  cruel  slaughter. 
From  thence  he  marches  directly  to  the  siege,  and  divides 
his  men  into  three  bands,  assigning  to  each  of  them  a  dif- 
ferent part  of  the  camp,  and  telling  them  to  advance  dis- 
creetly, and  without  noise;  and  when  entered,  not  to  kill 
any  body  till  he  with  his  company  should  be  possessed  of 
the  king's  tent,  and  should  cause  the  trumpet  to  sound  for  ft 
signal 

Jus  Chap.  IX. — The  taking  ofPandrasus. 

When  he  had  given  them  these  instructions,  thejr  forthwith 
softly  entered  the  camp  in  silence,  and  taking  their  appointed 
stations,  awaited  the  promised  signal,  which  Brutus  delayed 


ob.  10.1  TAKING  OF  PANDRA8US.  97 

not  to  give  as  soon  as  he  had  got  before  the  tent  of  Pan- 
drasus,  to  assault  which  was  the  thing  he  most  desired.  At 
hearing  the  signal,  they  forthwith  draw  their  swords,  enter 
in  among  the  men  in  their  sleep,  make  quick  destruction  of 
them,  and  allowing  no  quarter,  in  this  manner  traverse  the 
whole  camp.  The  rest,  awaked  at  the  groans  of  the  dying, 
and  seeing  their  assailants,  were  like  sheep  seized  with  a 
sudden  fear ;  for  they  despaired  of  life,  since  they  had 
neither  time  to  take  arms,  nor  to  escape  by  flight  They 
run  up  and  down  without  arms  among  the  armed,  whither- 
soever the  fury  of  the  assault  hurries  them,  but  are  on  all 
sides  cut  down  by  the  enemy  rushing  in.  Some  that  might 
have  escaped,  were  in  the  eagerness  of  flight  dashed  against 
rocks,  trees,  or  shrubs,  and  increased  the  misery  of  their 
death.  Others,  that  had  only  a  shield,  or  some  such  cover- 
ing for  their  defence,  in  venturing  upon  the  same  rocks  to 
avoid  death,  fell  down  in  the  hurry  and  darkness  of  the 
night,  and  broke  either  legs  or  arms.  Others,  that  escaped 
both  these  disasters,  but  did  not  know  whither  to  fly,  were 
drowned  in  the  adjacent  rivers ;  and  scarcely  one  got  away 
without  some  unhappy  accident  befalling  him.  Besides,  the 
garrison  in  the  town,  upon  notice  of  the  coming  of  their 
fellow  soldiers,  sallied  forth,  and  redoubled  the  slaughter. 


$£hap. 


hap.  X. — A  consultation  about  what  is  to  be  asked  of  the  captive  king. 

But  Brutus,  as  I  said  before,  having  possessed  himself  of 
the  king's  tent,  made  it  his  business  to  keep  him  a  safe  pri- 
soner ;  for  he  knew  he  could  more  easily  attain  his  ends  by 
preserving  his  life  than  by  killing  him ;  but  the  party  that 
was  with  him,  allowing  no  quarter,  made  an  utter  destruc- 
tion in  that  part  which  they  had  gained.  The  night  being 
spent  in  this  manner,  when  the  next  morning  discovered  to 
their  view  so  great  an  overthrow  of  the  enemy,  Brutus,  in 
transports  of  joy,  gave  full  liberty  to  his  men  to  do  what 
they  pleased  with  the  plunder,  and  then  entered  the  town 
with  the  king,  to  stay  there  till  they  had  shared  it  among 
them ;  which  done,  he  again  fortified  the  castle,  gave  orders 
for  burying  the  slain,  and  retired  with  his  forces  to  the 
woods  in  great  joy  for  the  victory.  After  the  rejoicings  of 
his  people  on  this  occasion,  their  renowned  general  sum- 

H 


98  Geoffrey's  British  history.  [book  i. 

moned  the  oldest  of  them  and  asked  their  advice,  what  he 
had  best  desire  of  Pandrasus,  who,  being  now  in  their 
power,  would  readily  grant  whatever  they  would  request  of 
him,  in  order  to  regain  his  liberty.  They,  according  to 
their  different  fancies,  desired  different  things ;  some  urged 
him  to  request  that  a  certain  part  of  the  kingdom  might  be 
assigned  them  for  their  habitation ;  others  that  he  would 
demand  leave  to  depart,  and  to  be  supplied  with  necessaries 
for  their  voyage.  After  they  had  been  a  long  time  in 
suspense  what  to  do,  one  of  them,  named  Mempricius,  rose 
up,  and  having  made  silence,  spoke  to  them  thus : — 

"  What  can  be  the  occasion  of  your  suspense,  fathers,  in  a 
matter  which  I  think  so  much  concerns  your  safely  ?  The 
only  thing  you  can  request,  with  any  prospect  of  a  firm 
peace  and  security  to  yourselves  and  your  posterity,  is 
liberty  to  depart.  For  if  you  make  no  better  terms  with 
Pandrasus  for  his  life  than  only  to  have  some  part  of  the 
country  assigned  you  to  live  among  the  Greeks,  you  will 
never  enjoy  a  lasting  peace  while  the  brothers,  sons,  or 
grandsons  of  those  whom  you  killed  yesterday  shall  continue 
to  be  your  neighbours.  So  long  as  the  memory  of  their 
fathers'  deaths  shall  remain,  they  will  be  your  mortal  ene- 
mies, and  upon  the  least  tricing  provocation  will  endeavour 
to  revenge  themselves.  Nor  will  you  be  sufficiently  nume- 
rous to  withstand  so  great  a  multitude  of  people.  And  if 
you  shall  happen  to  fall  out  among  yourselves,  their  number 
will  daily  increase,  yours  diminish.  I  propose,  therefore, 
that  you  request  of  him  his  eldest  daughter,  Ignoge,  for  a 
wife  for  our  general,  and  with  her,  gold,  silver,  corn,  and 
whatever  else  shall  be  necessary  for  our  voyage.  If  we 
obtain  this,  we  may  with  his  leave  remove  to  some  other 
country." 

Chap.  XI. — Pandrasus  gives  his  daughter  Ignoge  in  marriage  to  Brutus, 
who,  after  his  departure  from  Greece,  falls  upon  a  desert  island,  where 
he  is  told  by  the  oracle  of  Diana  what  place  he  is  to  inhabit. 

When  he  had  ended  his  speech,  in  words  to  this  effect,  the 
whole  assembly  acquiesced  in  his  advice,  and  moved  that 
Pandrasus  might  be  brought  in  among  them,  and  condemned 
to  a  most  cruel  death  unless  he  would  grant  this  request 
He  was  immediately  brought  in,  and  being  placed  in  a  chair 


ch.  ll.J      DEPARTURE  OF  BRUTUS  FROM  GREECE.         99 

above  the  rest,  and  informed  of  the  tortures  prepared  for 
him  unless  he  would  do  what  was  commanded  him,  he  made 
them  this  answer  :— 

"  Since  my  ill  fate  has  delivered  me  and  my  brother  Anti- 
gonus  into  your  hands,  I  can  do  no  other  than  grant  your 
request,  lest  a  refusal  may  cost  us  our  lives,  which  are  now 
entirely  in  your  power.  In  my  opinion  life  is  preferable  to 
all  other  considerations;  therefore,  wonder  not  that  I  am 
willing  to  redeem  it  at  so  great  a  price.  But  though  it  is 
against  my  inclination  that  I  obey  your  commands,  yet  it 
seems  matter  of  comfort  to  me  that  I  am  to  give  my  daugh- 
ter to  so  noble  a  youth,  whose  descent  from  the  illustrious 
race  of  Priamus  and  Anchises  is  clear,  both  from  that  great- 
ness of  mind  which  appears  in  him,  and  the  certain  accounts 
we  have  had  of  it.  For  who  less  than  he  could  have  re- 
leased from  their  chains  the  banished  Trojans,  when  reduced 
under  slavery  to  so  many  great  princes  ?  Who  else  could 
have  encouraged  them  to  make  head  against  the  Greeks  ?  or 
with  so  small  a  body  of  men  vanquished  so  numerous  and 
powerful  an  army,  and  taken  their  king  prisoner  in  the 
engagement?  And,  therefore,  since  this  noble  youth  has 
gained  so  much  glory  by  the  opposition  which  he  has  made 
to  me,  I  give  him  my  daughter  Ignoge,  and  also  gold,  silver, 
ships,  corn,  wine,  and  oil,  and  whatever  you  shall  find  neces- 
sary for  your  voyage.  If  you  shall  alter  your  resolution, 
and  think  fit  to  continue  among  the  Greeks,  I  will  grant  you 
the  third  part  of  my  kingdom  for  your  habitation ;  if  not, 
I  will  faithfully  perform  my  promise,  and  for  your  greater 
security  will  stay  as  a  hostage  among  you  till  I  have  made 
it  good." 

Accordingly  he  held  a  council,  and  directed  messengers  to 
all  the  shores  of  Greece,  to  get  ships  together ;  which  done, 
he  delivered  them  to  the  Trojans,  to  the  number  of  three 
hundred  and  twenty-four,  laden  with  all  kinds  of  provision, 
and  married  his  daughter  to  Brutus.  He  made  also  a  pre- 
sent of  gold  and  silver  to  each  man  according  to  his  quality. 
When  everything  was  performed  the  king  was  set  at  liberty ; 
and  the  Trojans,  now  released  from  his  power,  set  sail  with 
a  fair  wind.  But  Ignoge,  standing  upon  the  stern  of  the 
ship,  swooned  away  several  times  in  Brutus's  arms,  and  with 
many  sighs  and  tears  lamented  the  leaving  her  parents  and 

h  2 


100  Geoffrey's  British  history.  Lam  i 

country,  nor  ever  turned  her  eyes  from  the  shore  while  it 
was  in  sight.  Brutus,  meanwhile,  endeavoured  to  assuage 
her  grief  by  kind  words  and  embraces  intermixed  with 
kisses,  and  ceased  not  from  these  blandishments  till  she 
grew  weary  of  crying  and  fell  asleep.  During  these  and 
other  accidents,  the  winds  continued  fair  for  two  days  and  a 
night  together,  when  at  length  they  arrived  at  a  certain 
island  called  Leogecia,  which  had  been  formerly  wasted  by 
the  incursions  of  pirates,  and  was  then  uninhabited.  Bru- 
tus, not  knowing  this,  sent  three  hundred  armed  men  ashore 
to  see  who  inhabited  it;  but  they  finding  nobody,  killed 
several  kinds  of  wild  beasts  which  they  met  with  in  the 
groves  and  woods,  and  came  to  a  desolate  city,  in  which  they 
found  a  temple  of  Diana,  and  in  it  a  statue  of  that  goddess 
which  gave  answers  to  those  that  came  to  consult  her.  At 
last,  loading  themselves  with  the  prey  which  they  had  taken 
in  hunting,  they  return  to  their  ships,  and  give  their  com- 
panions an  account  of  this  country  and  city.  Then  they 
advised  their  leader  to  go  to  the  city,  and  after  offering 
sacrifices,  to  inquire  of  the  deity  of  the  place,  what  country 
was  allotted  them  for  their  place  of  settlement.  To  this 
proposal  all  assented ;  so  that  Brutus,  attended  with  Gerion, 
the  augur,  and  twelve  of  the  oldest  men,  set  forward  to  the 
temple,  with  all  things  necessary  for  the  sacrifice.  Being 
arrived  at  the  place,  and  presenting  themselves  before  the 
shrine  with  garlands  about  their  temples,  as  the  ancient 
rites  required,  they  made  three  fires  to  the  three  deities, 
Jupiter,  Mercury,  and  Diana,  and  offered  sacrifices  to  each 
of  them.  Brutus  himself,  holding  before  the  altar  of  the 
goddess  a  consecrated  vessel  filled  with  wine,  and  the  blood 
of  a  white  hart,  with  his  face  looking  up  to  the  image,  broke 
silence  in  these  words : — 

u  Diva  potens  nemorum,  terror  sylvestribus  apris ; 

Cui  licet  amfractus  ire  per  aethereos, 
Infernasque  domos ;  terrestria  jura  resolve, 

Et  die  quae  terras  nos  habitare  velis  ? 
Die  certain  sedem  qua  te  venerabor  in  eevum, 

Qua  tibi  virgineis  templa  dicabo  choris  1" 

Goddess  of  woods,  tremendous  in  the  chase 
To  mountain  boars,  and  all  the  savage  race  ! 
Wide  o'er  the  ethereal  walks  extends  thy  sway, 
And  o'er  the  infernal  mansions  void  of  day ! 


•■.11.]  VISION  OF  BRUTUS.  101 

Look  upon  us  on  earth  !  unfold  our  fate. 
And  say  what  region  is  our  destined  seat  ? 
Where  shall  we  next  thy  lasting  temples  raise  ? 
And  choirs  of  virgins  celebrate  thy  praise  ? 

These  words  he  repeated  nine  times,  after  which  he  took 
four  turns  round  the  altar,  poured  the  wine  into  the  fire,  and 
then  laid  himself  down  upon  the  hart's  skin,  which  he  had 
spread  before  the  altar,  where  he  fell  asleep.  About  the 
third  hour  of  the  night,  the  usual  time  for  deep  sleep,  the 
goddess  seemed  to  present  herself  before  him,  and  foretell 
his  future  success  as  follows  : — 

"  Brute  !  'sub  occasum  solis  trans  Gallica  regna 

Insula  in  oceano  est  undique  clausa  mari : 
Insula  in  oceano  est  habitata  gigantibus  olim, 

Nunc  deserta  quidem,  gentibus  apta  tuis. 
Hanc  pete,  namque  tibi  sedes  erit  ilia  perennis : 

Sic  net  natis  altera  Troja  tuis. 
Sic  de  prole  tua  reges  nascentur :  et  ipsis 

Totius  t-errae  subditus  orbis  erit." 

Brutus  !  there  lies  beyond  the  Gallic  bounds 

An  island  which  the  western  sea  surrounds, 

By  giants  once  possessed ;  now  few  remain 

To  bar  thy  entrance,  or  obstruct  thy  reign. 

To  reach  that  happy  shore  thy  sails  employ ; 

There  fate  decrees  to  raise  a  second  Troy, 

And  found  an  empire  in  thy  royal  line, 

Which  time  shall  ne'er  destroy,  nor  bounds  confine. 

Awakened  by  the  vision,  he  was  for  some  time  in  doubt 
with  himself,  whether  what  he  had  seen  was  a  dream  or  a 
real  appearance  of  the  goddess  herself,  foretelling  to  what 
land  he  should  go.     At  last  he  called  to  his  companions,  and 
related  to  them  in  order  the  vision  he  had  in  his  sleep,  at 
which  they  very  much  rejoiced,  and  were  urgent  to  return 
to  their  ships,  and  while  the  wind  favoured  them,  to  hasten 
their  voyage  towards  the  west,  in  pursuit  of  what  the  god- 
dess had  promised.     Without  delay,  therefore,  they  returned 
to  their  company,  and  set  sail  again,  and  after  a  course  of 
thirty  days  came  to  Africa,  being  ignorant  as  yet  whither  to 
steer.     From  thence  they  came  to  the  Philenian  altars,  and 
to  a  place  called  Salinae,  and  sailed  between  Ruscicada  and 
the  mountains  of  Azara,*  where  they  underwent  great  dan- 

*  It  is  probably  impossible  to  discover  whether  these  names  describe  ex- 
iting places,  or  are  purely  the  invention  of  the  author. 


102  Geoffrey's  British  history.  [moki. 

ger  from  pirates,  whom,  notwithstanding,  they  vanquished, 
and  enriched  themselves  with  their  spoils. 

Chap.  XII. — Brutus  enters  Aquilaine  with  Corineus. 

From  thence,  passing  the  river  Malua,  they  arrived  at 
Mauritania,  where  at  last,  for  want  of  provisions,  they 
were  obliged  to  go  ashore;  and,  dividing  themselves  into 
several  bands,  they  laid  waste  the  whole  country.  When 
they  had  well  stored  their  ships,  they  steered  to  the  Pillars 
of  Hercules,  where  they  saw  some  of  those  sea  monsters, 
called  Syrens,  which  surrounded  their  ships,  and  very  nearly 
overturned  them.  However,  they  made  a  shift  to  escape, 
and  came  to  the  Tyrrhenian  Sea,  upon  the  shores  of  which 
they  found  four  several  nations  descended  from  the  banished 
Trojans,  that  had  accompanied  Antenor*  in  his  flight.  The 
name  of  their  commander  was  Corineus,  a  modest  man  in 
matters  of  council,  and  of  great  courage  and  boldness,  who, 

;^  in  an  encounter  with  any  person,  even  of  gigantic  stature, 
would  immediately  overthrow  him,  as  if  he  were  a  child. 
When  they  understood  from  whom  he  was  descended,  they 
joined  company  with  him  and  those  under  his  government, 
who  from  the  name  of  their  leader  were  afterwards  called 
the  Cornish  people,  and  indeed  were  more  serviceable  to 
BrutusrtKan  the  rest  in  all  his  engagements.  From  thence 
they  came  to  Aquitaine,  and  entering  the  mouth  of  the 
Loire,  cast  anchor.  There  they  stayed  seven  days  and 
viewed  the  country.  Goffarius  Pictus,  who  was  king  of 
Aquitaine  at  that  time,  having  an  account  brought  him  of 
the  arrival  of  a  foreign  people  with  a  great  fleet  upon  his 
coasts,  sent  ambassadors  to  them  to  demand  whether  they 
brought  with  them  peace  or  war.  The  ambassadors,  on 
their  way  towards  the  fleet,  met  Corineus,  who  was  come 
out  with  two  hundred  men,  to  hunt  in  the  woods.  Thev 
demanded  of  him,  who  gave  him  leave  to  enter  the  king's 
forests,  and  kill  his  game ;  (which  by  an  ancient  law  nobody 
was  allowed  to  do  without  leave  from  the  prince.)  Corineus 
answered,  that  as  for  that  matter  there  was  no  occasion  for 
asking  leave;  upon  which  one  of  them,  named  Imbertus, 
rushing  forward,  with  a  full  drawn  bow  levelled  a  shot  at 
*  See  Virgil's  iEneid  i,  241. 


CK.13.)         GOFFARIUS  ROUTED  BY  BRUTUS.  103 

him.  Corineus  avoida->the  arrow  and  immediately  runs  up 
to  him,  and  with  his  bow  in  his  hand  breaks  his  head.  The 
rest  narrowly  escaped,  and  carried  the  news  of  this  disaster 
to  Goffarius.  The  Pictavian  general  was  struck  with  sorrow 
for  it,  and  immediately  raised  a  vast  army,  to  revenge  the 
death  of  his  ambassador.  Brutus,  on  the  other  hand,  upon 
hearing  the  rumour  of  his  coming,  sends  away  the  women 
and  children  to  the  ships,  which  he  took  care  to  be  well 
guarded,  and  commands  them  to  stay  there,  while  he,  with 
the  rest  that  were  able  to  bear  arms,  should  go  to  meet  the 
army.  At  last  an  assault  being  made,  a  bloody  fight  ensued ; 
in  which  after  a  great  part  of  the  day  had  been  spent,  Cori- 
neus was  ashamed  to  see  the  Aquitanians  so  bravely  stand 
their  ground,  and  the  Trojans  maintaining  the  fight  without 
victory.  He  therefore  takes  fresh  courage,  and  drawing  off 
his  men  to  the  right  wing,  breaks  in  upon  the  very  thickest 
of  the  enemies,  where  he  made  such  slaughter  on  every  side, 
that  at  last  he  broke  the  line  and  put  them  all  to  flight.  Li 
this  encounter  he  lost  his  sword,  but  by  good  fortune,  met 
with  a  battle-axe,  with  which  he  clave  down  to  the  waist 
every  one  that  stood  in  his  way.  Brutus  and  every  body 
else,  both  friends  and  enemies,  were  amazed  at  his  courage 
and  strength,  for  he  brandished  about  his  battle-axe  among 
the  flying  troops,  and  terrified  them  not  a  little  with  these 
insulting  words,  "  Whither  fly  ye,  cowards  ?  whither  fly  ye, 
base  wretches  ?  stand  your  ground,  that  ye  may  encounter 
Corineus.  What !  for  shame !  do  so  many  thousands  of  you 
fly  one  man  ?  However,  take  this  comfort  for  your  flight, 
that  you  are  pursued  by  one,  before  whom  the  Tyrrhenian 
giants  could  not  stand  their  ground,  but  fell  down  slain  in 
heaps  together." 

Chap.  XIII.— Goffarius  routed  by  Brutus, 

At  these  words  one  of  them,  named  Subardus,  who  was  a 
consul,  returns  with  three  hundred  men  to  assault  him ;  but 
Corineus  with  his  shield  wards  off  the  blow,  and  lifting  up 
his  battle-axe  gave  him  such  a  stroke  upon  the  top  of  his 
helmet,  that  at  once  he  clave  him  down  to  the  waist;  and 
then  rushing  upon  the  rest  he  made  terrible  slaughter  by 
wheeling  about  his  battle-axe  among  them,  and,  running  to 


104  Geoffrey's  British  history.  Lbookc 

and  fro,  seemed  more  anxious  to  inflict  blows  on  the  enemy 
than  careful  to  avoid  those  which  they  aimed  at  him.  Some 
had  their  hands  and  arms,  some  their  very  shoulders,  some 
again  their  heads,  and  others  their  legs  cut  off  by  him.  All 
fought  with  him  only,  and  he  alone  seemed  to  fight  with  all. 
Brutus  seeing  him  thus  beset,  out  of  regard  to  him,  runs 
with  a  band  of  men  to  his  assistance  :  at  which  the  battle  is 
again  renewed  with  vigour  and  with  loud  shouts,  and  great 
numbers  slain  on  both  sides.  But  now  the  Trojans  presently 
gain  the  victory,  and  put  Goffarius  with  his  Pictavians  to 
flight.  The  king  after  a  narrow  escape  went  to  several 
parts  of  Gaul,  to  procure  succours  among  such  princes  as 
were  related  or  known  to  him.  At  that  time  Gaul  was  sub- 
ject to  twelve  princes,  who  with  equal  authority  possessed  the 
whole  country.  These  receive  him  courteously,  and  promise 
with  one  consent  to  expel  the  foreigners  from  Aquitaine. 

Chap.  XIV. — Brutus,  after  his  victory  with  Goffarius,  ravages  Aqvitams 
with  fire  and  sword. 

Brutus,  in  joy  for  the  victory,  enriches  his  men  with  the 
spoils  of  the  slain,  and  then,  dividing  them  into  several 
bodies,  marches  into  the  country  with  a  design  to  lay  it 
waste,  and  load  his  fleet  with  the  spoil.  With  this  view 
he  sets  the  cities  on  fire,  seizes  the  riches  that  were  in  them, 
destroys  the  fields,  and  makes  dreadful  slaughter  among  the 
citizens  and  common  people,  being  unwilling  to  leave  so 
.  much  as  one  alive  of  that  wretched  nation.  While  he  was 
(  making  this  destruction  over  all  Aquitaine,  he  came  to  a 
<-  place  where  the  city  of  Tours  now  stands,  which  he  after- 
\  wards  built,  as  Homer  testifies.  As  soon  as  he  had  looked 
out  a  place  convenient  for  the  purpose,  he  pitched  his  camp 
there,  for  a  place  of  safe  retreat,  when  occasion  should  re- 
quire. For  he  was  afraid  on  account  of  Goffarius's  approach 
with  the  kings  and  princes  of  Gaul,  and  a  very  great  army, 
which  was  now  come  near  the  place,  ready  to  give  him 
battle.  Having  therefore  finished  his  camp,  he  expected  to 
engage  with  Goffarius  in  two  days'  time,  placing  the  utmost 
confidence  in  the  conduct  and  courage  of  the  young  men 
under  his  command. 


ch.15.1  GOFFABIUS's  FIGHT  WITH   BRUTUS.  105 

Chap.  XV.— Goffarius's  fight  with  Brutus. 

GtOffarius,  being  informed  that  the  Trojans  were  in  those 
parts,  marched  day  and  night,  till  he  came  within  a  close 
view  of  Brutus's  camp ;  and  then  with  a  stern  look  and 
disdainful  smile,  broke  out  into  these  expressions,  "  Oh 
wretched  fate !  Have  these  base  exiles  made  a  camp  also 
in  my  kingdom  ?  Arm,  arm,  soldiers,  and  march  through 
their  thickest  ranks  :  we  shall  soon  take  these  pitiful  fellows 
like  sheep,  and  disperse  them  throughout  our  kingdom  for 
slaves."  At  these  words  they  prepared  their  arms,  and  ad- 
vanced in  twelve  bodies  towards  the  enemy.  Brutus,  on  the 
other  hand,  with  his  forces  drawn  up  in  order,  went  forth 
boldly  to  meet  them,  and  gave  his  men  directions  for  their 
conduct,  where  they  should  assault  and  where  they  should 
be  upon  the  defensive.  At  the  beginning  of  the  attack,  the 
Trojans  had  the  advantage,  and  made  a  rapid  slaughter  of 
the  enemy,  of  whom  there  fell  near  two  thousand,  which  so 
terrified  the  rest,  that  they  were  on  the  point  of  running 
away.  But,  as  the  victory  generally  falls  to  that  side  which 
has  very  much  the  superiority  in  numbers,  so  the  Gauls, 
being  three  to  one  in  number,  though  overpowered  at  first, 
yet  at  last  joining  in  a  great  body  together,  broke  in  upon 
the  Trojans,  and  forced  them  to  retire  to  their  camp  with 
much  slaughter.  The  victory  thus  gained,  they  besieged 
them  in  their  camp,  with  a  design  not  to  suffer  them  to  stir 
out  until  they  should  either  surrender  themselves  prisoners, 
or  be  cruelly  starved  to  death  with  a  long  famine. 

In  the  meantime,  Corineus  the  night  following  entered 
into  consultation  with  Brutus,  and  proposed  to  go  out  that 
night  by  by-ways,  and  conceal  himself  in  an  adjacent  wood 
till  break  of  day ;  and  while  Brutus  should  sally  forth  upon 
the  enemy  in  the  morning  twilight,  he  with  his  company 
would  surprise  them  from  behind  and  put  them  to  slaughter. 
Brutus  was  pleased  with  this  stratagem  of  Corineus,  who 
according  to  his  engagement  got  out  cunningly  with  three 
thousand  men,  and  put  himself  under  the  covert  of  the 
woods.  As  soon  as  it  was  day  Brutus  marshalled  his  men 
and  opened  the  camp  to  go  out  to  fight.  The  Gauls  meet 
him  and  begin  the  engagement :  many  thousands  fall  on 
both  sides,  neither  party  giving  quarter.     There  was  present 


106  GEOFFREY'S  BRITISH  HISTORY.  [booki. 

a  Trojan,  named  Turonus,  the  nephew  of  Brutus,  inferior  to 
none  but  Corineus  in  courage  and  strength  of  body.  He 
alone  with  his  sword  killed  six  hundred  men,  but  at  last  was 
unfortunately  slain  himself  by  the  number  of  Gauls  that 
rushed  upon  him.  From  him  the  city  of  Tours  derived  its 
name,  because  he  was  buried  there.  While  both  armies 
were  thus  warmly  engaged,  Corineus  came  upon  them  un- 
awares, and  fell  fiercely  upon  the  rear  of  the  enemy,  which 
put  new  courage  into  his  friends  on  the  other  side,  and  made 
them  exert  themselves  with  increased  vigour.  The  Gauls 
were  astonished  at  the  very  shout  of  Corineus's  men,  and 
thinking  their  number  to  be  much  greater  than  it  really  was, 
they  hastily  quitted  the  field ;  but  the  Trojans  pursued  them, 
and  killed  them  in  the  pursuit,  nor  did  they  desist  till  they 
had  gained  a  complete  victory.  Brutus,  though  in  joy  for 
this  great  success,  was  yet  afflicted  to  observe  the  number  of 
his  forces  daily  lessened,  while  that  of  the  enemy  increased 
more  and  more.  He  was  in  suspense  for  some  time,  whether 
he  had  better  continue  the  war  or  not,  but  at  last  he  deter- 
mined to  return  to  his  ships  while  the  greater  part  of  his 
followers  was  yet  safe,  and  hitherto  victorious,  and  to  go  in 
quest  of  the  island  which  the  goddess  had  told  him  o£  So 
without  further  delay,  with  the  consent  of  his  company,  he 
repaired  to  the  fleet,  and  loading  it  with  the  riches  and 
spoils  he  had  taken,  set  sail  with  a  fair  wind  towards  the 
promised  island,  and  arrived  on  the  coast  of  Totness. 


Chap.  XVI. — Albion  divided  between  Brutus  and  Corineus. 

The  island  was  then  called  Albion,*  and  was  inhabited  by 
none  but  a  few  giants.  Notwithstanding  this,  the  pleasant 
situation  of  the  places,  the  plenty  of  rivers  abounding  with 
fish,  and  the  engaging  prospect  of  its  woods,  made  Brutus 
and  his  company  very  desirous  to  fix  their  habitation  in  it 
They  therefore  passed  through  all  the  provinces,  forced  the 
giants  to  fly  into  the  caves  of  the  mountains,  and  divided  the 
country  among  them  according  to  the  directions  of  their 


*  The  earliest  real  notice  of  Albion  occurs  in  a  work  attributed  to  4 
totle  [De  Mundo,  sec.  3],  who  wrote,  before  Christ  340,  "  Beyond  the 
Pillars  of  Hercules  is  the  ocean  which  flows  round  the  earth.  In  it  are 
two  very  large  islands,  called  Britannic ;  these  are  Albion  and  Ierne,"  Ac. 


CB.16.]  DEATH  OF   GOEMAGOT.  107 

commander.  After  this  they  began  to  till  the  ground  and 
build  houses,  so  that  in  a  little  time  the  country  looked  like 
a  place  that  had  been  long  inhabited.  At  last  Brutus  called 
the  island  after  his  own  name  Britain,  and  his  companions 
Britons ;  for  by  these  means  he  desired  to  perpetuate  the 
memory  of  his  name.  From  whence  afterwards  the  lan- 
guage of  the  nation,  which  at  first  bore  the  name  of  Trojan, 
or  rough  Greek,  was  called  British.  But  Corineus,  in 
imitation  of  his  leader,  called  that  part  of  the  island  which 
fell  to  his  share,  Corinea,  and  his  people  Corineans,  after  his 
name  ;  and  though  he  had  his  choice  of  the  provinces  before 
all  the  rest,  yet  he  preferred  this  country,  which  is  now 
called  in  Latin  Cornubia,  either  from  its  being  in  the  shape 
of  a  horn  (in  Latin  Cornu),  or  from  the  corruption  of  the 
said  name.*  For  it  was  a  diversion  to  him  to  encounter  the 
said  giants,  which  were  in  greater  numbers  there  than  in  all 
the  other  provinces  that  fell  to  the  share  of  his  companions. 
Among  the  rest  was  one  detestable  monster,  named  Goema- 
got, in  stature  twelve  cubits,  and  of  such  prodigious  strength 
that  at  one  shake  he  pulled  up  an  oak  as  if  it  had  been  a 
hazel  wand.  On  a  certain  day,  when  Brutus  was  holding  a 
solemn  festival  to  the  gods,  in  the  port  where  they  at  first 
landed,  this  giant  with  twenty  more  of  his  companions  came 
in  upon  the  Britons,  among  whom  he  made  a  dreadful 
slaughter.  But  the  Britons  at  last  assembling  together  in  a 
body,  put  them  to  the  rout,  and  killed  them  every  one  but 
Goemagot.  Brutus  had  given  orders  to  have  him  preserved 
alive,  out  of  a  desire  to  see  a  combat  between  him  and  Cori- 
neus, who  took  a  great  pleasure  in  such  encounters.  Cori- 
neus, overjoyed  at  this,  prepared  himself,  and  throwing 
aside  his  arms,  challenged  him  to  wrestle  with  him.  At  the 
beginning  of  the  encounter,  Corineus  and  the  giant,  stand- 
ing, front  to  front,  held  each  other  strongly  in  their  arms, 
and  panted  aloud  for  breath  ;  but  Goemagot  presently  grasp- 
ing Corineus  with  all  his  might,  broke  three  of  his  ribs,  two 
on  his  right  side  and  one  on  his  left.  At  which  Corineus, 
highly  enraged,  roused  up  his  whole  strength,  and  snatching 
him  upon  his  shoulders,  ran  with  him,  as  fast  as  the  weight 
would  allow  him,  to  the  next  shore,  and  there  getting  upon 

•  The  etymology  of  the  word  Cornwall,  as  if  Conm-GalHse  or  Walli*, 
is  equally  imaginary. 


108  Geoffrey's  British  history.  [book  i. 

the  top  of  a  high  rock,  hurled  down  the  savage  monster  into 
the  sea ;  where  falling  on  the  sides  of  craggy  rocks,  he  was 
torn  to  pieces,  and  coloured  the  waves  with  his  blood.  The 
place  where  he  fell,  taking  its  name  from  the  giant's  fall, 
is  called  Lam  Goemagot,  that  is,  Goemagof  s  Leap,  to  this 
day.* 

Chap.  XVII. — The  building  of  new  Troy  by  Brutus,  upon  the  river 

/Thames. 
Brutus,  having  thus  at  last  set  eyes  upon  his  kingdom, 
I  formed  a  design  of  building  a  city,  and  with  this  view,  tra- 
velled through  the  land  to  find  out  a  convenient  situation, 
and  coming  to  the  river  Thames,  he  walked  along  the  shore, 
and  at  last  pitched  upon  a  place  very  fit  for  his  purpose. 
Here,  therefore,  he  built  a  city,  which  he  called  New  TVoy ; 
under  which  name  it  continued  a  long  time  after,  till  at  last, 
by  the  corruption  of  the  original  word,  it  come  to  be  called 
Trinovantum.  But  afterwards  when  Lud,  the  brother  of 
Cassibellaun,  who  made  war  against  Julius  Caesar,  obtained 
the  government  of  the  kingdom,  he  surrounded  it  with 
stately  walls,  and  towers  of  admirable  workmanship,  and 
.  ordered  it  to  be  called  after  his  name,  Kaer-Lud,  that  is,  die 
*—  City  of  Lud.f  But  this  very  thing  became  afterwards  the 
occasion  of  a  great  quarrel  between  him  and  his  brother 
Nennius,  who  took  offence  at  his  abolishing  the  name  of 
Troy  in  this  country.  Of  this  quarrel  Gjljlaa-the  historian 
has  given  a  full  account ;  for  which  reason  I  pass  it  over,  for 
fear  of  debasing  by  my  account  of  it,  what  so  great  a  writer 
has  so  eloquently  related. 

Chap.  XVIII.— New  Troy  being  built,  and  laws  made  for  the  government 
of  it,  it  is  given  to  the  citizens  that  were  to  inhabit  it. 

After  Brutus  had  finished  the  building  of  the  city,  he  made 
choice  of  the  citizens  that  were  to  inhabit  it,  and  prescribed 
them  laws  for  their  peaceable  government.     At  this  time 

*  It  is  now  called  the  Haw,  and  is  near  Plymouth. 

f  This  is  the  city  now  called  London,  and  it  is  evident  that  the  writ* 
wishes  it  to  be  supposed  that  the  modern  name  is  derived  from  the  aiiCMBt, 
as  if  it  were  Lud-ton  or  Lud-don.     The  first  notice  of  London  found  il 


authentic  history  occurs  in  Tacitus,  Annal.  lib.  xiv.  c  33,  the  second  MOM   \ 
in  Ptolemy,  a.d.  120,  lib.  L  15.  \] 


«.  1,  2.]  DEATH  OF  HUMBER.  109 

Eli  the  priest  governed  in  Judea,  and  the  ark  of  the  cove- 
nant was  taken  by  the  Philistines.  At  the  same  time, 
also,  the  sons  of  Hector,  after  the  expulsion  of  the  posterity 
of  Antenor,  reigned  in  Troy;  as  in  Italy  did  Sylvius  jEneas, 
the  son  of  JEneas,  the  uncle  of  Brutus,  and  the  third  king 
of  the  Latins.* 


BOOK  II. 


<A 


Chap.  I. — After  the  death  of  Brutus,  his  three  sons  succeed  him  in  the 
^~  kingdom. 

During  these  transactions,  Brutus  had  by  his  wife  Ignoge 
three  famous  sons,  whose  names  were  Locrin.  Albanact.  and  ^~ 
Kamber.  These,  after  their  father's  death,  which  happened 
in  the  twenty-fourth  year  after  his  arrival,  buried  him  in  the 
city  which  he  had  built,  and  then  having  divided  the  king- 
dom of  Britain  among  them,  retired  each  to  his  government. 
Locrin,  the  eldest,  possessed  the  middle  part  of  the  island, 
called  afterwards  from  his  name,  Loegria.  Kamber  had  that 
part  which  lies  beyond  the  river  Severn,  now  called  Wales, 
but  which  was  for  a  long  time  named  Kambria ;  and  hence 
that  people  still  call  themselves  in  their  British  tongue  Kam- 
bri.  Albanact,  the  younger  brother,  possessed  the  country 
he  called  Albania,  now  Scotland.  After  they  had  a  long 
time  reigned  in  peace  together,  Humber,  king  of  the  Huns, 
arrived  in  Albania,  and  having  killed  Albanact  in  battle, 
forced  his  people  to  fly  to  Locrin  for  protection. 

Chap.  II. — Zocrin,  having  routed  Humber,  falls  in  love  with  Estrildis. 

Locrin,  at  hearing  this  news,  joined  his  brother  Kamber, 
and  went  with  the  whole  strength  of  the  kingdom  to  meet 
the  king  of  the  Huns,  near  the  river  now  called  Humber, 
where  he  gave  him  battle,  and  put  him  to  the  rout.  Humber 
made  towards  the  river  in  his  flight,  and  was  drowned  in  it, 
on  account  of  which  it  has  since  borne  his  name.     Locrin, 

♦  From  this  statement  it  would  follow  that  the  arrival  of  Brutus  in 
Britain  is  to  be  placed  about  the  year  1100  before  Christ. 


1 10  Geoffrey's  British  history.  [book  u. 

after  the  victory,  bestowed  the  plunder  of  the  enemy  upon 
his  own  men,  reserving  for  himself  the  gold  and  silver 
which  he  found  in  the  ships,  together  with  three  virgins  of 
admirable  beauty,  whereof  one  was  the  daughter  of  a  king 
in  Germany,  whom  with  the  other  two  Humber  had  forcibly 
brought  away  with  him,  after  he  had  ruined  their  country. 
Her  name  was  Estrildis,  and  her  beauty  such  as  was  hardly 
to  be  matched.  No  ivory  or  new-fallen  snow,  no  lily  could 
exceed  the  whiteness  of  her  skin.  Locrin,  smitten  with 
love,  would  have  gladly  married  her,  at  which  Corineus  was 
extremely  incensed,  on  account  of  the  engagement  which 
Locrin  had  entered  into  with  him  to  marry  his  daughter. 

Chap.  III. — Corineus  resents  the  affront  put  upon  his  daughter. 

He  went,  therefore,  to  the  king,  and  wielding  a  battle-axe 
in  his  right  hand,  vented  his  rage  against  him  in  these 
words :  "  Do  you  thus  reward  me,  Locrin,  for  the  many 
wounds  which  I  have  suffered  under  your  father's  command 
in  his  wars  with  strange  nations,  that  you  must  slight  my 
daughter,  and  debase  yourself  to  marry  a  barbarian  ? 
While  there  is  strength  in  this  right  hand,  that  has  been  de- 
structive to  so  many  giants  upon  the  Tyrrhenian  coasts,  I 
will  never  put  up  with  this  affront."  And  repeating  this 
again  and  again  with  a  loud  voice,  he  shook  his  battle-axe 
as  if  he  was  going  to  strike  him,  till  the  friends  of  both 
interposed,  and  after  they  had  appeased  Corineus,  obliged 
Locrin  to  perform  his  agreement.  f 

Chap.    IV. — Locrin    at    last   marries    Guendolcena,    the    daughter   tf 
Corineus. 

Locrin  therefore  married  Corineus's  daughter,  named 
Guendolcena,  yet  still  retained  his  love  for  Estrildis,  for 
whom  he  made  apartments  under  ground,  in  which  he 
entertained  her,  and  caused  her  to  be  honourably  attended 
For  he  was  resolved  at  least  to  carry  on  a  private  amour' 
with  her,  since  he  could  not  live  with  her  openly  for  fear  of 
Corineus.  In  this  manner  he  concealed  her,  and  made 
frequent  visits  to  her  for  seven  years  together,  without  the 
privity  of  any  but  his  most  intimate  domestics ;  and  all 
under  a  pretence  of  performing  some  secret  sacrifices  to  hii 


5,6.]  LOCRIN  KILLED.  Ill 

Is,  by  which  he  imposed  on  the  credulity  of  every  body. 

the  meantime  Estrildis  became  with  child,  and  was 
Ivered  of  a  most  beautiful  daughter,  whom  she  named 
bre.  Guendoloena  was  also  with  child,  and  brought  forth 
on,  who  was  named  Maddan,  and  put  under  the  care  of 

grandfather  Corineus  to  be  educated. 

LP.  V. — Locrin  is  killed;  Estrildis  and  Sabre  are  thrown  into  a 
river. 

t  in  process  of  time,  when  Corineus  was  dead,  Locrin 
orced  Guendoloena,  and  advanced  Estrildis  to  be  queen, 
lendoloena,  provoked  beyond  measure  at  this,  retired  into 
rnwall,  where  she  assembled  together  all  the  forces  of  that 
igdom,  and  began  to  raise  disturbances  against  Locrin.  % 
last  both  armies  joined  battle  near  the  river  Sture,  where 
crin  was  killed  by  the  shot  of  an  arrow.  After  his  death, 
iendoloena  took  upon  her  the  government  of  the  whole 
igdom,  retaining  her  father's  furious  spirit.  For  she 
nmanded  Estrildis  and  her  daughter  Sabre  to  be  thrown 

0  the  river  now  called  the  Severn,  and  published  an  edict 
•ough  all  Britain,  that  the  river  should  bear  the  damsel's 
ne,  hoping  by  this  to  perpetuate  her  memory,  and  by  that 
5  infamy  of  her  husband.  So  that  to  this  day  the  river  is 
led  in  the  British  tongue  Sabren,  which  by  the  corruption 
the  name  is  in  another  language  Sabrina. 

kv.  VI. — Guendolasna  delivers  up  the  kingdom  to  Maddant  her  son, 
after  whom  succeeds  Mempricius. 

jendolosna  reigned  fifteen  years  after  the  death  of 
crin,  who  had  reigned  ten,  and  then  advanced  her  son 
iddan  (whom  she  saw  now  at  maturity)  to  the  throne, 
itenting  herself  with  the  country  of  Cornwall  for  the 
nainder  of  her  life.  At  tins  time  Samuel  the  prophet 
rerned  in  Judaea,  Sylvius  JEneas  was  yet  living,  and 
>mer  was  esteemed  a  iamous  orator  and  poet.*  Maddan, 
w  in  possession  of  the  crown,  had  by  his  wife  two  sons, 
?mpricius  and  Malim,  and  ruled  the  kingdom  in  peace  and 

1  It  is  only  necessary  to  compare  such  passages  as  these  with  the 
?cian  or  Roman  Histories,  and  we  cannot  avoid  perceiving  the  legendary 
racter  of  Geoffrey  of  Monmouth's  History. 


112  Geoffrey's  British  history.  [bookie. 

with  care  forty  years.  As  soon  as  he  was  dead,  the  two 
brothers  quarrelled  for  the  kingdom,  each  being  ambitions 
of  the  sovereignty  of  the  whole  island.  Mempricius* 
impatient  to  attain  his  ends,  enters  into  treaty  with  Malim, 
under  colour  of  making  a  composition  with  him,  and,  having 
formed  a  conspiracy,  murdered  him  in  the  assembly  where 
their  ambassadors  were  met.  By  these  means  he  obtained 
the  dominion  of  the  whole  island,  over  which  he  exercised 
such  tyranny,  that  he  left  scarcely  a  nobleman  alive  in  it, 
and  either  by  violence  or  treachery  oppressed  every  one  that 
he  apprehended  might  be  likely  to  succeed  him,  pursuing  his 
hatred  to  his  whole  race.  He  also  deserted  his  own  wife,  by 
whom  he  had  a  noble  youth  named  Ebraucus,  and  addicted 
himself  to  sodomy,  preferring  unnatural  lust  to  the  pleasures 
of  the  conjugal  state.  At  last,  in  the  twentieth  year  of  his 
reign,  while  he  was  hunting,  he  retired  from  his  company 
into  a  valley,  where  he  was  surrounded  by  a  great  multitude 
of  ravenous  wolves,  and  devoured  by  them  in  a  horrible 
manner.  Then  did  Saul  reign  in  Judaea,  and  Eurystheus  in 
Lacedaemonia. 


A 


Chap.   VII. — Ebraucus,    the    successor  of  Mempricius,  conquers    the 
Gauls,  and  builds  the  towns  Kaerebrauc,  fyc. 


/If  empricius  being  dead,  Ebraucus,  his  son,  a  man  of  great 
stature  and  wonderful  strength,  took  upon  him  the  govern- 
ment of  Britain,  which  he  held  forty  years.  He  was  the 
first  after  Brutus  who  invaded  Gaul  with  a  fleet,  and 
distressed  its  provinces  by  killing  their  men  and  laying 
waste  their  cities  ;  and  having  by  these  means  enriched 
himself  with  an  infinite  quantity  of  gold  and  silver,  he 
returned  victorious.  After  this  he  built  a  city  on  the  other 
side  of  the  Humber,  which,  from  his  otai  name,  he  called 
Kaerebrauc,  that  is,  the  city  of  Ebraucus,*  about  the  time 
that  David  reigned  in  Judaea,  and  Sylvius  Latinus  in  Italy ; 
and  that  Gad,  Nathan,  and  Asaph  prophesied  in  Israel.  He 
also  built  the  city  of  Alclud  f  towards  Albani,  and  the  town 

•  York  seems  to  be  a  corruption  of  Ebrauc.  It  is  first  mentioned  hf 
Ptolemy  (ii.  3.)  a.d.  120. 

t  Alclud  or  Alcluith  is  unknown  to  the  classic  writers:  it  is  flat 
mentioned  by  Gildas,  and  is  thought  to  be  the  modern  Dumbarton. 


tii.  $94  BBUTUS'S  REIGN;  ,  113 

of  mount  Agned,*  called  at  this  time  the  Castle'  of  Maidens, 
or  the  Mountain  of  Sorrow. 


Mounts 


Chap.  VIlf.~/-Ebraucus,s  twenty  sons  go  to  Germany,  and  his  thirty 
daughters  to  Sylvius  Alba,  in  Italy, 

This  prince  had  twentjr  sons  and  thirty  daughters  by  twenty 
wives,  and  with  great  valour  governed  the  kingdom  of 
Britain  sixty  years.  The  names  of  his  sons  were,  Brutus 
surnamed  Greenshield,  Margadud,  Sisillius,  Regin,  Morivid, 
Bladud,  Lagon,  Bodloan,  Kincar,  Spaden,  Gaul,  Darden, 
Eldad,  Ivor,  Gangu,  Hector,  Kerin,  Rud,  Assarach,  Buel. 
The  names  of  his  daughters  were,  Gloigni,  Ignogni,  Oudas, 
Guenliam,  Gaudid,  Angarad,  Guendoloe,  Tangustel,  Gorgon, 
Median,  Methahel,  Ourar,  Malure,  Kambreda,  Ragan,  Gael, 
Ecub,  Nest,  Cheum,  Stadud,  Gladud,  Ebren,  Blagan, 
Aballac,  Angaes,  Galaes,  (the  most  celebrated  beauty  at 
that  time  in  Britain  or  Gaul,)  Edra,  Anaor,  Stadial,  Egrori. 
All  these  daughters  their  father  sent  into  Italy  to  Sylvius 
Alba,  who  reigned  after  Sylvius  Latinus,  where  they  wer6 
'married  among  the  Trojan  nobility,  the  Latin  and  Sabine 
women  refusing  to  associate  with  them.  But  the  sons, 
under  the  conduct  of  their  brother  Assaracus,  departed 
in  a  fleet  to  Germany,  and  having,  with  the  assistance 
of  Sylvius  Alba,  subdued  the  people  there,  obtained  that 
kingdom. 

Chap.  IX. — 'After  Ebraucus  reigns  Brutus  his  son,  after  him  Leil,  and 
after  Leil,  Hudibras. 

But  Brutus,  surnamed  Greenshield,  stayed  with  his  father, 
whom  he  succeeded  in  the  government,  and  reigned  twelve 
years.  After  him  reigned  Leil,  his  son,  a  peaceful  and  just 
prince,  who,  enjoying  a  prosperous  reign,  built  in  the  north 
of  Britain  a  city,  called  by  his  name,  Kaerleil  ;f  at  the  same 
time  that  Solomon  began  to  build  the  temple  of  Jerusalem, 
and  the  queen  of  Sheba  came  to  hear  his  wisdom  ;  at  which 
time  also  Sylvius  Epitus  succeeded  his  father  Alba,  in  Italy. 
Leil  reigned  twenty-five  years,  but  towards  the  latter  end  of 
his  life  grew  more  remiss  in  his  government,  so  that  his 
neglect  of  affairs  speedily  occasioned  a  civil  dissension  in  the 

♦  Edinburgh.  f  Now  Carlisle. 


114  Geoffrey's  bkitish  histobt.  [*»«  & 

i^  kingdom,.     After  him  feigned  his  son*  Hudibras.  thirty-nine 

*  years,  and  composed  the  civil,  dissension  among  his  people* 

He  built  Kaerlem  or  Canterbury,  Kaerguen  or  Winchester, 
and  the  town  of  Mount  Paladur,  now  Shaftesbury.  At  this 
place  an  eagle  spoke,  while  the  wall  of  the  town  was  being 
built ;  and  indeed  I  should  have  transmitted  the  speech  to 

'&  — *  posterity*  had  I  thought  it  true,  as  the  rest  of  the  history  ^  At 
this  time  reigned  Capys,  the  son  of  Epitus ;  and  Haggai, 

*v  Amos,  Joel,  and  Azariah,  were  prophets  in  Israel 

Chap.  X. — Biadud  succeeds  Hudibras  in  the  kingdom,  and  practises 
magical  operations. 

Next  succeeded  Biadud,  his  son,  and  reigned  twenty  years. 
He  built  Kaerbadus,  now  Bath,  and  made  hot  baths  in  it 
for  the  benefit  of  the  public,  which  he  dedicated  to  the  god* 
dess  Minerva ;  in  whose  temple  he  kept  fires  that  never  went 
out  nor  consumed  to  ashes,  out  as  soon  as  they  began  to  de- 
cay were  turned  into  balls  of  stone.  About  this  time  the 
prophet  Elias  prayed  that  it  might  not  rain  upon  earth  ;  and 
it  did  not  rain  for  three  years  and  six  months.  This  prince 
was  a  very  ingenious  man,  and  taught  necromancy  in,  his 
kingdom,  nor  did  he  leave  off  pursuing  his  magical  operations, 
till  he  attempted  to  fly  to  the  upper  region  of  the  air  with 
wings  which  he  had  prepared,  and  fell  down  upon  the  temple 
of  Apollo,  in  the  city  of  Trinovantum,  where  he  was  dashed 
to  pieces, 

\  Chap.  XI. — Leir  the  son  of  Biadud,  having  no  son,  divides  his  kingdom 

.  ^  among  his  daughters, 

After  this  unhappy  fate  of  Biadud,  Leir,*  his  son  was 
advanced  to  the  throne,  and  nobly  governed  his  country  sixty 
years.  He  built  upon  the  river  Sore  a  city,  called  in  the 
British  tongue,  Kaerleir,  in  the  Saxon,  Leircestre.f  He 
was  without  male  issue,  but  had  three  daughters,  whose 
names  were  Gonorilla,  Regau,  and  Gordeilla,  of  whom  ha 
was  dotingly  fond,  but  especially  of  his  youngest,  Cordeilk. 
When  he  began  to  grow  old,  he  had  thoughts  of  dividing  his 
kingdom  among  them,  and  of  bestowing  them  on  such 
husbands  as  were  fit  to  be  advanced  to  the  government  with 
them.     But  to  make  trial  who  was  worthy  to  have  the  best 

*  King  Lear,  the  hero  of  Shakespeare's  drama. 


ch.  11, J  KING  LEEft's  DAUGHTERS.  115 

part  of  his  kingdom,  lie  went  to  each  of  them  to  ask  which 
of  them  loved  him  most.  The  question  being  proposed, 
Gonorilla,  the  eldest,  made  answer,  "  That  she  called  heaven 
to  witness,  she  loved  him  more  than  her  own  soul."  The 
father  replied,  "  Since  you  have  preferred  my  declining  age 
before  your  own  life,  I  will  marry  you,  my  dearest  daughter, 
to  whomsoever  you  shall  make  choice  of,  and  give  with  you 
the  third  part  of  my  kingdom."  Then  Regau,  the  second 
daughter,  willing,  after  the  example  of  her  sister,  to  prevail 
upon  her  father's  good  nature,  answered  with  an  oath,  "  That 
she  could  not  otherwise  express  her  thoughts,  but  that  she 
loved  him  above  all  creatures."  The  credulous  father  upon 
this  made  her  the  same  promise  that  he  did  to  her  eldest 
sister,  that  is,  the  choice  of  a  husband,  with  the  third  part  of 
his  kingdom.  But  Cordeilla,  the  youngest,  understanding 
how  easily  he  was  satisfied  with  the  flattering  expressions  of 
her  sisters,  was  desirous  to  make  trial  of  his  affection  after  a 
different  manner.  "My  father,"  said  she,  "is  there  any 
daughter  that  can  love  her  father  more  than  duty  requires  ? 
In  my  opinion,  whoever  pretends  to  it,  must  disguise  her 
real  sentiments  under  the  veil  of  flattery.  I  have  always 
loved  you  as  a  father,  nor  do  I  yet  depart  from  my  purposed 
duty;  and  if  you  insist  to  have  something  more  extorted 
from  me,  hear  now  the  greatness  of  my  affection,  which  I 
always  bear  you,  and  take  this  for  a  short  answer  to  all  your 
questions ;  look  how  much  you  have,  so  much  is  your  value, 
and  so  much  do  I  love  you."  The  father,  supposing  that  she 
spoke  this  out  of  the  abundance  of  her  heart,  was  highly 
provoked,  and  immediately  replied,  "  Since  you  have  so  far 
despised  my  old  age  as  not  to  think  me  worthy  the  love  that 
your  sisters  express  for  me,  you  shall  have  from  me  the  like 
regard,  and  shall  be  excluded  from  any  share  with  your 
sisters  in  my  kingdom.  Notwithstanding,  I  do  not  say  but 
•  that  since  you  are  my  daughter,  I  will  marry  you  to  some 
foreigner,  if  fortune  offers  you  any  such  husband ;  but  will 
never,  I  do  assure  you,  make  it  my  business  to  procure  so 
honourable  a  match  for  you  as  for  your  sisters;  because, 
though  I  have  hitherto  loved  you  more  than  them,  you  have 
in  requital  thought  me  less  worthy  of  your  affection  than 
they."  And,  without  further  delay,  after  consultation  with 
his  nobility,  he  bestowed  his  two  other  daughters  upon  the 

12 


116  GEOFFREY'S  BRITISH  HISTORT.  L*oo*  d 

dukes  of  Cornwall  and  Albania,  with  half  the  island  at 
present,  but  after  his  death,  the  inheritance  of  the  whole 
monarchy  of  Britain. 

It  happened  after  this,  that  Aganippus,  king  of  the 
Franks,  having  heard  of  the  fame  of  Cordeilla's  beauty, 
forthwith  sent  his  ambassadors  to  the  king  to  demand  her  in 
marriage.  The  father,  retaining  yet  his  anger  towards  her, 
made  answer,  "That  he  was  very  willing  to  bestow  his 
daughter,  but  without  either  money  or  territories;  because 
he  had  already  given  away  his  kingdom  with  all  his  treasure 
to  his  eldest  daughters,  Gonorilla  and  Regau."  When  this 
was  told  Aganippus,  he,  being  very  much  in  love  with  the 
lady,  sent  again  to  king  Leir,  to  tell  him,  "  That  he  had  mo- 
ney and  territories  enough,  as  he  possessed  the  third  part 
of  Gaul,  and  desired  no  more  than  his  daughter  only,  that 
he  might  have  heirs  by  her/'  At  last  the  match  waft 
concluded ;  Cordeilla  was  sent  to  Gaul,  and  married  to  Aga- 
nippus. 

Chap.  XII. — Leir,  finding  the  ingratitude  of  his  two  eldest  daughters, 
betakes  himself  to  his  youngest,  Cordeilla,  in  Gaul. 

A  long  time  after  this,  when  Leir  came  to  be  infirm  through 
old  age,  the  two  dukes,  on  whom  he  had  bestowed  Britain 
with  his  two  daughters,  fostered  an  insurrection  against  him, 
and  deprived  him  of  his  kingdom,  and  of  all  regal  authority, 
which  he  had  hitherto  exercised  with  great  power  and  glory. 
At  length,  by  mutual  agreement,  Maglaunus,  duke  of  Alba- 
nia, one  of  his  sons-in-law,  was  to  allow  him  a  maintenance 
at  his  own  housej  together  with  sixty  soldiers,  who  were  to 
be  kept  for  state.  After  two  years'  stay  with  his  son-in-law* 
his  daughter  Gonorilla  grudged  the  number  of  his  men,  who 
began  to  upbraid  the  ministers  of  the  court  with  their  scanty 
allowance ;  and,  having  spoken  to  her  husband  about  it,  she 
gave  orders  that  the  numbers  of  her  father's  followers  should 
be  reduced  to  thirty,  and  the  rest  discharged.  The  father, 
resenting  this  treatment,  left  Maglaunus,  and  went  to  Henu- 
inus,  duke  of  Cornwall,  to  whom  he  had  married  his  daugh- 
ter Regau.  Here  he  met  with  an  honourable  reception,  but 
before  the  year  was  at  an  end,  a  quarrel  happened  between 
the  two  families,  which  raised  Regau's  indignation ;  so  that 
she  commanded  her  father  to  discharge  all  his  attendants  but 


ch.  12.]  KINQ  LBIR  IN  DI8TRBSS.  117 

five,  and  to  be  contented  with  their  service.  This  second 
affliction  was  insupportable  to  him,  and  made  him  return 
again  to  his  former  daughter,  with  hopes  that  the  misery  of 
his  condition  might  move  in  her  some  sentiments  of  filial 
piety,  and  that  he,  with  his  family,  might  find  a  subsistence 
with  her.  But  she,  not  forgetting  her  resentment,  swore  by 
the  gods  he  should  not  stay  with  her,  unless  he  would  dismiss 
his  retinue,  and  be  contented  with  the  attendance  of  one 
man ;  and  with  bitter  reproaches  she  told  him  how  ill  his 
desire  of  vainglorious  pomp  suited  his  age  and  poverty. 
When  he  found  that  she  was  by  no  means  to  be  prevailed 
upon,  he  was  at  last  forced  to  comply,  and,  dismissing  the 
rest,  to  take  up  with  one  man  only.  But  by  this  time  he 
began  to  reflect  more  sensibly  with  himself  upon  the  gran- 
deur from  which  he  had  fallen,  and  the  miserable  state  to 
which  he  was  now  reduced,  and  to  enter  upon  thoughts  of  going 
beyond  sea  to  his  youngest  daughter.  Yet  he  doubted  whe- 
ther he  should  be  able  to  move  her  commiseration,  because 
(as  was  related  above)  he  had  treated  her  so  unworthily. 
However,  disdaining  to  bear  any  longer  such  base  usage,  he 
took  ship  for  Gaul.  In  his  passage  he  observed  he  had  only 
the  third  place  given  him  among  the  princes  that  were  with 
him  in  the  ship,  at  which,  with  deep  sighs  and  tears,  he  burst 
forth  into  the  following  complaint  :-rr- 

"  O  irreversible  decrees  of  the  Fates,  that  never  swerve 
from  your  stated  course  !  why  did  you  ever  advance  me  to 
an  unstable  felicity,  since  the  punishment  of  lost  happiness 
is  greater  than  the  sense  of  present  misery  ?  The  remem? 
brance  of  the  time  when  vast  numbers  of  men  obsequiously 
attended  me  in  the  taking  the  cities  and  wasting  the  enemy's 
countries,  more  deeply  pierces  my  heart  than  the  view  of  my 
present  calamity,  which  has  exposed  me  to  the  derision  of 
those  who  were  formerly  prostrate  at  my  feet.  Oh  !  the 
enmity  of  fortune  !  Shall  I  ever  again  see  the  day  when 
I  may  be  able  to  reward  those  according  to  their  deserts  who 
have  forsaken  me  in  my  distress  ?  How  true  was  thy  an? 
swer,  Cordeilla,  when  I  asked  thee  concerning  thy  love  to 
me,  i  As  much  as  you  have,  so  much  is  your  yalue,  and  so 
much  do  I  love  you.'  While  I  had  anything  to  give  they 
valued  me,  being  friends,  not  to  me,  but  to  my  gifts :  they 
loved  me  then,  but  they  loved  my  gifts  much  more :  when. 


W 


118  GEOFFREY'S  BRITISH  HISTORY,  [book  n. 

my  gifts  ceased,  my  friends  vanished.  But  with  what  face 
shall  I  presume  to  see  you,  my  dearest  daughter,  since  in  my 
anger  I  married  you  upon  worse  terms  than  your  sisters, 
who,  after  all  the  mighty  favours  they  have  received  from 
me,  suffer  me  to  be  in  banishment  add  poverty?*9 

As  he  was  lamenting  his  condition  in  these  and  the  like 
expressions,  he  arrived  at  Karitia,*  where  his  daughter  was, 
and  waited  before  the  city  while  he  sent  a  messenger  to  in- 
form her  of  the  misery  he  was  fallen  into,  and  to  desire  her 
relief  for  a  father  who  suffered  both  hunger  and  nakedness* 
Cordeilla  was  startled  at  the  news,  and  wept  bitterly,  and 
with  tears  asked  how  many  men  her  father  had  with  him. 
The  messenger  answered,  he  hdd  none  but  one  man,  who  had 
been  his  armour-bearer,  and  was  staying  with  him  without 
the  town.  Then  she  took  what  money  she  thought  might  be 
sufficient,  and  gave  it  to  the  messenger,  With  orders  to  carry 
her  father  to  another  city,  and  there  give  out  that  he  was 
sick,  and  to  provide  for  him  bathing,  clothes,  and  all  other 
nourishment.  She  likewise  gave  orders  that  he  should  take 
into  his  service  forty  men,  well  clothed  and  accoutred,  and 
that  when  all  things  were  thus  prepared  he  should  notify  his 
arrival  to  king  Aganippus  and  his  daughter.  The  messenger 
quickly  returning,  carried  Leir  to  another  city,  and  there 
kept  him  concealed,  till  he  had  done  every  thing  that  Cor- 
deilla had  commanded. 

Chap.  XIII. — He  it  very  honourably  received  by  Cordeilla  and  the  kirg 
of  Uaul 

As  soon  as  he  was  provided  with  his  royal  apparel*  orna- 
ments, and  retinue,  he  sent  word  to  Aganippus  and  his 
daughter,  that  he  was  driven  out  of  his  kingdom  of  Britain 
by  his  sons-in*law,  and  was  come  to  them  to  procure  their 
assistance  for  recovering  his  dominions.  Upon  which  they, 
attended  with  their  chief  ministers  of  state  and  the  nobility 
of  the  kingdom,  went  out  to  meet  him,  and  received  him 
honourably,  and  gave  into  his  management  the  whole  power 
of  Gaul,  till  such  time  as  he  should  be  restored  to  his  former 
dignity. 

•  Calais 


ch.  14, 15.]  DEATH  OF  OORDEttLA.  1 19 


Chap.  XIV.—Leir,  being  restarted  to  ihe  kingdom  by  (he  help  of  hit  son- 
in-law  and  Cordeilla,  diet. 

In  the  meantime  Aganippus  sent  officers  over  all  Gaul  to 
raise  an  army,  to  restore  his  father-in-law  to  his  kingdom  of 
Britain.  Which  done,  Leir  returned  to  Britain  with  his  son 
and  daughter  and  the  forces  which  they  had  raised,  where 
he  fought  with  his  sons-in-law  and  routed  them.  Having 
thus  reduced  the  whole  kingdom  to  his  power,  he  died  the 
third  year  after.  Aganippus  also  died ;  and  Cordeilla, 
obtaining  the  government  of  the  kingdom,  buried  her  father 
in  a  certain  vault,  which  she  ordered  to  be  made  for  him 
under  the  river  Sore,  in  Leicester,  and  which  had  been 
built  originally  under  the  ground  to  the  honour  of  the  god 
Janus.  And  here  all  the  workmen  of  the  city,  upon  the 
anniversary  solemnity  of  that  festival*  used  to  begin  their 
yearly  labours. 

Chap.  XV. — Cordeilla,  being  imprisoned,  kills  herself.    Morgan,  aspiring 
to  the  whole  kingdom,  is  killed  by  Cunedagius. 

After  a  peaceful  possession  of  the  government  for  five  years, 
Cordeilla  began  to  meet  with  disturbances  from  the  two  sons 
of  her  sisters,  being  both  young  men  of  great  spirit,  whereof 
one,  named  Margan,  was  born  to  Maglaunus,  and  the  other, 
named  Cunedagius,  to  Henuinus.  These,  after  the  death  of 
their  fathers,  succeeding  them  in  their  dukedoms,  were  in- 
censed to  see  Britain  subject  to  a  woman,  and  raised  forces 
in  order  to  raise  a  rebellion  against  the  queen  ;  nor  would 
they  desist  from  hostilities,  till,  after  a  general  waste  of  her 
countries,  and  several  battles  fought,  they  at  last  took  her 
and  put  her  in  prison,  where  for  grief  at  the  loss  of  her 
kingdom  she  killed  herselL  After  this  they  divided  the 
island  between  them;  of  which  the  part  that  reaches  from 
the  north  side  of  the  Humber  to  Caithness,  fell  to  Margan  ; 
the  other  part  from  the  same  river  westward  was  Cuneda- 
gius's  share.  At  the  end  of  two  years,  some  restless  spirits 
that  took  pleasure  in  the  troubles  of  the  nation,  had  access  to 
Margan,  and  inspired  him  with  vain  conceits,  by  representing 
to  him  how  mean  and  disgraceful  it  was  for  him  not  to  govern 
the  whole  island,  which  was  his  due  by  right  of  birth. 
Stirred  up  with  these  and  the  like  suggestions,  he  marched 


120  Geoffrey's  B^msg  msTORT.  [jxxhc  n. 

with  an  army  through  Cunedagius's  country,  and  began  to 
burn  all  before  him.  The  war  thus  breaking  out,  he  was 
met  by  Cunedagius  with  all  his  forces,  who  attacked  Margan, 
killing  no  small  number  of  his  men,  and,  putting  him  to 
flight,  pursued  him  from  one  province  to  another,  till  at  last 
he  killed  him  in  a  town  of  Kambria,  which  since  his  death 
has  been  by  the  country  people  called  Margan  to  this  day. 
After  the  victory,  Cunedagius  gained  the  monarchy  of  the 
whole  island,  which  he  governed  gloriously  for  three  and 
thirty  years.  At  this  time  flourished  the  prophets  Isaiah 
and  Hosea,  and  Rome  was  built  upon  the  eleventh  before 
the  Kalends  of  May  by  the  two  brothers,  Romulua  and 
Remus.* 

Chap.  XVI. — The  successors  of  Cunedagius  in  the  kingdom^    Ferrex  i^ 
killed  by  his  brother  Porrex,  in  a  dispute  for  the  government 

At  last  Cunedagius  dying,  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Rivallo, 
a  fortunate  youth,  who  diligently  applied  himself  to  the" 
affairs  of  the  government.  In  his  time  it  rained  blood  three 
days  together,  and  there  fell  vast  swarms  of  flies,  followed 
by  a  great  mortality  among  the  people.  After  him  succeeded^ 
Gurgustius  his  son ;  after  him  Sisillius ;  after  him  Jago,  the 
nephew  of  Gurgustius;  after  him  Kinmarcus  the  son  of 
Sisillius;  after  him  Gorbogudo,  who  had  two  sons,  Ferrex 
and  Porrex. 

When  their  father  grew  old  they  began  to  quarrel  about 
the  succession ;  but  Porrex,  who  was  the  most  ambitious  of 
the  two,  forms  a  design  of  killing  his  brother  by  treachery, 
which  the  other  discovering,  escaped,  and  passed  over  into 
Gaul.  There  he  procured  aid  from  Suard  king  of  the 
Franks,  with  which  he  returned  and  made  war  upon  his 
brother ;  coming  to  an  engagement,  Ferrex  was  killed  and 
all  his  forces  cut  to  pieces.  When  their  mother,  whose  name 
was  Widei^  came  to  be  informed  of  her  spn's  death,  she  fell 
into  a  great  rage,  and  conceived  a  mortal  hatred  against  the 
survivor.  For  she  had  a  greater  affection  for  the  deceased 
than  for  him,  so  that  nothing  less  would  appease  her  indigna- 
tion for  his  death,  than  her  revenging  it  upon  her  surviving 
son.  She  took  therefore  her  oppportunity  when  he  was 
asleep,  fell  upon  him,  and  with  the  assistance  of  her  wo- 
•  About  the  year  before  Christ,  753, 


a.  17.]  DUNWALLO  MOLMUTIUS.  122 

men  tore  him  to  pieces.  From  that  time  a  long  civil 
war  oppressed  the  people,  and  the  island  became  divided 
under  the  power  of  five  kings,  who  mutually  harassed  one 
another. 


I 


hap.  XVII. — DunwdUo  Molmutius  gains  the  sceptre  of  Britain,  from 
whom  came  the  Molmutine  laws. 

At  length  arose  a  youth  of  great  spirit,  named  Dunwallo 
Molmutius,  who  was  the  son  of  Cloten  king  of  Cornwall, 
and  excelled  all  the  kings  of  Britain  in  valour  and  graceful- 
ness of  person.     When  his   father  was   dead,  he  was  no 
sooner  possessed  of  the  government  of  that  country,  than  he 
made  war  against  Ymner  king  of  Loegria,  and  killed  him  in 
battle.     Hereupon  Rudaucus  king  of  Kambria,  and  Staterius 
king  of  Albania,  had  a  meeting,  wherein  they  formed  an 
alliance  together,  and  marched  thence  with  their  armies  into 
Dunwallo's  country  to  destroy  all  before  them.     Dunwallo 
met  them  with  thirty  thousand  men,  and  gave  them  battle ; 
and  when  a  great  part  of  the  day  was  spent  in  the  fight,  and 
the  victory  yet  dubious,  he  drew  off  six  hundred  of  his 
bravest  men,  and  commanded  them  to  put  on  the  armour  of 
the  enemies  that  were  slain,  as  he  himself  also  did,  throwing 
aside  his  own.     Thus  accoutred  he  marched  up  with  speed 
to  the  enemy*s  ranks,  as  if  he  was  of  their  party,  and  ap- 
proaching the  very  place  where  Rudaucus  and   Staterius 
were,   commanded  his  men  to  fall  upon   them.     In  this 
assault  the  two  kings  were  killed  and  many  others  with 
them.    But  Dunwallo  Molmutius,  fearing  lest  in  this  disguise 
his  own  men  might  fall  upon  him,  returned  with  his  com- 
panions to  put  off  the  enemy's  armour,  and  take  his  own 
again;  and   then   encouraged  them  to  renew  the  assault, 
which  they  did  with  great  vigour,  and  in  a  short  time  got 
the  victory,  by  dispersing  and  putting  to  flight  the  enemy. 
From  hence  he  marched  into  the  enemy's  countries,  destroyed 
their  towns  and  cities,  and  reduced  the  people  under  his 
obedience.     When  he  had  made  an  entire  reduction  of  the 
whole  island,  he  prepared  for  himself  a  crown  of  gold,  and 
restored   the  kingdom   to   its   ancient   state.     This   prince 
established  what  the  Britons  call  the  Molmutine  laws,  which 
are  famous  among  the  English  to  this  day.     In  these,  among 
other  things,  of  which  St.  Gildas  wrote  a  long  time  after,  he 


122  Geoffrey's  British  history.  [amm. 

enacted,  that  the  temples  of  the  gods,  as  also  cities,  should 
have  the  privilege  of  giving  sanctuary  and  protection  to  any 
fugitive  or  criminal,  that  should  flee  to  them  from  his  enemy. 
He  likewise  enacted,  that  the  ways  leading  to  those  temples 
and  cities,  as  also  husbandman's  ploughs,  should  be  allowed 
the  same  privilege.  So  that  in  his  day,  the  murders  and 
cruelties  committed  by  robbers  were  prevented,  and  every 
body  passed  safe  without  any  violence  offered  him.  At  last, 
after  a  reign  of  forty  years  spent  in  these  and  other  acts  of 
government,  he  died,  and  was  buried  in  the  city  of  Trino- 
vantum,  near  the  temple  of  Concord,  which  he  himself  built, 
when  he  first  established  his  laws* 


BOOK  IIL 

Chap.  I. — Brennius  quarrels  with  Belinus  hU  brother,  and  in  order  to 
make  war  against  him,  marries  the  daughter  of  the  king  of  the  Nor- 
wegians. 

After  this  a  violent  quarrel  happened  between  his  two  sons 
Belinus  and  Brennius,  who  were  both  ambitious  of  succeed* 
ing  to  the  kingdom.  The  dispute  was,  which  of  them  should 
have  the  honour  of  wearing  the  crown.  After  a  great  many 
sharp  conflicts  that  passed  between  them,  the  friends  of  both 
interposed,  and  brought  them  to  agree  oh  the  division  of  the 
kingdom  on  these  terms:  that  Belinus  should  enjoy  the 
crown  of  the  island,  with  the  dominions  of  Loegria,  Kam- 
bria,  and  Cornwall,  because,  according  to  the  Trojan  consti* 
tution,  the  right  of  inheritance  would  come  to  him  as  the 
elder :  and  Brennius,  as  being  the  younger,  should  be  subject 
to  his  brother,  and  have  for  his  share  Northumberland, 
which  extended  from  the  river  Humber  to  Caithness.  Hie 
covenant  therefore  being  confirmed  upon  these  conditions, 
they  ruled  the  country  for  five  years  in  peace  and  justice. 
But  such  a  state  of  prosperity  could  not  long  stand  against 
the  endeavours  of  faction.  For  some  lying  incendiaries 
gained  access  to  Brennius  and  addressed  him  in  this  man* 
ner:— - 


ch.  1,2.]       BREKNTttS'S  SEA-FIGHT  WITH  QUlCHTHLAC.  123 

"What  sluggish  spirit  has  possessed  you,  that  you  can 
bear  subjection  to  Belinus,  to  whom  by  parentage  and  blood 
you  are  equal ;  besides  your  experience  in  military  affairs, 
which  you  have  gained  in  several  engagements,  when  you  so 
often  repulsed  Cheulphus,  general  of  the  Morini,  in  his 
invasions  of  our  country,  and  drove  him  out  of  your 
kingdom  ?  Be  no  longer  bound  by  a  treaty  which  is  a 
reproach  to  you,  but  marry  the  daughter  of  Elsingius,  king 
of  the  Norwegians,  that  with  his  assistance  jrou  may  recover 
your  lost  dignity.**  The  young  man,  inflamed  with  these  and 
the  like  specious  suggestions,  hearkened  to  them,  and  went 
to  Norway,  where  he  married  the  king's  daughter,  as  his 
flatterers  had  advised  him.  *' ™f 

Chap.  Il.-^Brenniusy8  sea-fight  with  3fkftMfffa  ^"ff  °f  the  Dacians,  ' 

Guichthlao  and  Brennius*  s  wife  are  driven  ashore  and   taken    by 
Belinut. 

In  the  meantime  his  brother,  informed  of  this,  was  violently 
incensed,  that  without  his  leave  he  had  presumed  to  act  thus 
against  him.  Whereupon  he  marched  into  Northumberland, 
and  possessed  himself  of  that  country  and  the  cities  in  it, 
which  he  garrisoned  with  his  own  irien.  Brennius,  upon 
notice  given  him  of  what  his  brother  had  done,  prepared  a 
fleet  to  return  to  Britain  with  a  great  army  of  Norwegians. 
But  while  he  was  under  sail  with  a  fair  wind,  he  was  over- 
taken by  Guichthlac,  king  of  the  Dacians,*  who  had  pursued 
him.  This  prince  had  been  deeply  in  love  with  the  young 
lady  that  Brennius  had  married,  and  out  of  mere  grief  and 
vexation  for  the  loss  of  her,  had  prepared  a  fleet  to  pursue 
Brennius  with  all  expedition.  In  the  sea-fight  that  happened 
on  this  occasion,  he  had  the  fortune  to  take  the  very  ship  in 
which  the  lady  was,  and  brought  her  in  among  his  com- 
panions. But  during  the  engagement,  contrary  winds  arose 
on  a  sudden,  which  brought  on  a  storm,  and  dispersed  the 
ships  upon  different  shores  :  so  that  the  king  of  the  Dacians, 
being  driven  up  and  down,  after  a  course  of  five  days, 
arrived  with  the  lady  at  Northumberland,  under  dreadful 
apprehensions,  as  not  knowing  upon  what  country  this 
unforeseen  casualty  had  thrown  him.  When  this  came 
to  be  known  to  the  country  people,  they  took  them  and 

*  The  Danes* 


124  Geoffrey's  British  history,  Cbookw. 

carried  them  to  Belinus,  who  was  upon  the  sea-coast, 
expecting  the  arrival  of  his  brother.  There  were  with 
Guichthlac's  ship  three  others,  one  of  which  had  belonged 
to  Brennius's  fleet.  As  soon  as  they  had  declared  to  the 
king  who  they  were,  he  was  overjoyed  at  this  happy 
accident,  while  he  was  endeavouring  to  revenge  himself 
on  his  brother. 

Chap.  III. — Belinus  in  a  battle  routs  Brennius,  who  thereupon  Jlees  to 

Gaul. 

A  few  days  after  appeared  Brennius,  with  his  fleet  again 
got  together,  and  arrived  in  Albania ;  and  having  received 
information  of  the  capture  of  his  wife  and  others,  and  that 
his  brother  had  seized  the  kingdom  of  Northumberland  in 
his  absence,  he  sent  his  ambassadors  to  him,  to  demand  the 
restitution  of  his  wife  and  kingdom  ;  and  if  he  refused  them, 
to  declare  that  he  would  destroy  the  whole  island  from  sea  to 
sea,  and  kill  his  brother  whenever  he  could  come  to  an 
engagement  with  him.  On  the  other  hand,  Belinus  absolutely 
refused  to  comply  with  his  demands,  and  assembling  together 
the  whole  power  of  the  island,  went  into  Albania  to  give  him 
battle.  Brennius,  upon  advice  that  he  had  suffered  a  repulse, 
and  that  his  brother  was  upon  his  march  against  him, 
advanced  to  meet  him  in  a  wood  called  Calaterium,  in  order- 
to  attack  him.  When  they  were  arrived  on  the  field  of 
battle,  each  of  them  divided  his  men  into  several  bodies,  and 
approaching  one  another,  began  the  fight.  A  great  part 
of  the  day  was  spent  in  it,  because  on  both  sides  the  bravest 
men  were  engaged ;  and  much  blood  was  shed  by  reason 
of  the  fury  with  which  they  encountered  each  other.  So 
great  was  the  slaughter,  that  the  wounded  fell  in  heaps,  like 
standing  corn  cut  down  by  reapers.  At  last  the  Britons 
prevailing,  the  Norwegians  fled  with  their  shattered  troops 
to  their  ships,  but  were  pursued  by  Belinus,  and  killed 
without  mercy.  Fifteen  thousand  men  fell  in  the  battle,  nor 
were  there  a  thousand  of  the  rest  that  escaped  unhurt 
Brennius  with  much  difficulty  securing  one  ship,  went  as 
fortune  drove  him  to  the  coasts  of  Gaul ;  but  the  rest  that 
attended  him,  were  forced  to  sculk  up  and  down  wherever 
their  misfortunes  led  them. 


fcfa.4,5.]  tHE  BANES  PAT  TRlBUtE.  12& 


Chap.  IV. — 7%*  king  of  Dacia,  with  Brennius's  wife,  is  released  out  of 
prison. 

Belinus,  after  this  victory,  called  a  council  of  his  nobility, 
to  advise  with  them  what  he  should  do  with  the  king  of  the 
Dacians,  who  had  sent  a  message  to  him  out  of  prison,  that 
he  would  submit  himself  and  the  kingdom  of  Dacia  to  him, 
and  also  pay  a  yearly  tribute,  if  he  might  have  leave  to 
depart  with  his  mistress.  He  offered  likewise  to  confirm  this 
covenant  with  an  oath,  and  the  giving  of  hostages.  When 
this  proposal  was  laid  before  the  nobility,  they  unanimously 
gave  their  assent  that  Belinus  should  grant  Guichthlac  his 
petition  upon  the  terms  offered.  Accordingly  he  did  grant 
it,  and  Guichthlac  was  released  from  prison,  and  returned 
With  his  mistress  into  Dacia. 

Chap.  "V. — Belinus  revives  and  confirms  the  Molmutine  laws,  especially 
about  the  highways. 

Belinus  now  finding  no  body  in  the  kingdom  of  Britain 
able  to  make  head  against  him,  and  being  possessed  of  the 
sovereignty  of  the  whole  island  from  sea  to  sea,  confirmed 
the  laws  his  father  had  made,  and  gave  command  for  a 
settled  execution  of  justice  through  his  kingdom.  But  above 
all  things  he  ordered  that  cities,  and  the  roads  leading  to 
them,  should  enjoy  the  same  privilege  of  peace  that  Dunwallo 
had  established.  But  there  arose  a  controversy  about  the 
roads,  because  the  limits  determining  them  were  unknown. 
The  king,  therefore,  willing  to  clear  the  law  of  all 
ambiguities,  summoned  all  the  workmen  of  the  island 
together,  and  commanded  them  to  pave  a  causeway  of 
stone  and  mortar,  which  should  run  the  whole  length 
of  the  island,  from  the  sea  of  Cornwall,  to  the  shores  of 
Caithness,  and  lead  directly  to  the  cities  that  lay  along  that 
extent.  He  commanded  another  to  be  made  over  the  breadth 
of  the  kingdom,  leading  from  Menevia,  that  was  situated  upon 
the  Demetian  Sea,  to  Hamo's  Port,  and  to  pass  through  the 
interjacent  cities.  Other  two  he  also  made  obliquely  through 
the  island,  for  a  passage  to  the  rest  of  the  cities.*  He  then 
confirmed  to  them  all  honours  and  privileges,  and  prescribed 

9  This  seems  to  be  a  false  account  of  the  Roman  roads  in  Britain. 


*4 


126  GEOFFREY'S  BRITISH  PISTOHT.  £noKm» 

a  law  for  the  punishment  of  any  injury  committed  upon  them. 
/But  if  any  one  is  curious  to  know  all  that  he  decreed  con- 
cerning them,  let  him  read  the  Molmutine  laws,  which  Gildas 
the  historian  translated  from  British  into  Latin,  and  king 
{  Alfred  into  English, 

Chap.  VI. — Brennius,  being  made  duke  of  the  Allobroges,  returns  to 
Britain  to  fight  with  hit  brother. 

While  Belinus  was  thus  reigning  in  peace  and  tranquillity, 
his  brother  Brennius,  who  (as  we  said  before)  was  driven 
upon  the  coasts  of  Gaul,  suffered  great  torments  of  mind, 
For  it  was  a  great  affliction  to  him  to  be  banished  from  his 
country,  and  to  have  no  power  of  ^returning  to  retrieve  his 
loss.  Being  ignorant  what  course  to  take,  he  went  among 
the  princes  of  Gaul,  accompanied  only  with  twelve  men ;  and 
when  he  had  related  his  misfortune  to  every  one  of  them,  but 
could  procure  assistance  from  none,  he  went  at  last  to  Segi- 
nus,  duke  of  the  Allobroges,  from  whom  he  had  an  honour* 
able  reception.  During  his  stay  here,  he  contracted  such  an 
intimacy  with  the  duke,  that  he  became  the  greatest  favourite 
in  the  court.  For  in  all  affairs,  both  of  peace  and  war,  he 
showed  a  great  capacity,  so  that  this  prince  loved  him  with 
a  paternal  affection.  He  was  besides  of  a  graceful  aspect, 
tall  and  slender  in  stature,  and  expert  in  hunting  and  fowling, 
as  became  his  princely  birth.  So  great  was  the  friendship 
between  them,  that  the  duke  resolved  to  give  him  his  only 
daughter  in  marriage ;  and  in  case  he  himself  should  have 
no  male  issue,  he  appointed  him  and  his  daughter  to  succeed 
him  in  his  dukedom  of  the  Allobroges  after  his  death.  But 
if  he  should  yet  have  a  son,  then  he  promised  his  assistance 
to  advance  him  to  the  kingdom  of  Britain.  Neither  was 
this  the  desire  of  the  duke  only,  but  of  all  the  nobility  of 
his  court,  with  whom  he  had  very  much  ingratiated  himself. 
So  then  without  farther  delay  the  marriage  was  solemnized, 
and  the  princes  of  the  country  paid  their  homage  to  him,  as 
the  successor  to  the  throne.  Scarcely  was  the  year  at  an 
end  before  the  duke  died ;  and  then  Brennius  took  his  oppor- 
tunity of  engaging  those  princes  of  the  country  firmly  in  his 
interest,  whom  before  he  had  obliged  with  his  friendship. 
And  this  he  did  by  bestowing  generously  upon  them  the 


cm.  7.]  BEJIJNUS  AITO  BH^NNiyS  REQONCUJSD,  127 

duke's  treasure,  wliich  had  been  hoarded  up  from  the  times 
of  his  ancestors.  But  that  which  the  Allobrqgea  most 
esteemed  him  for,  was  his  sumptuqus  entertainments,  and 
keeping  an  open  house  for  alL 

Chap.  VII. — Belinus  and  Brenntus  being  made  friends  by  the  mediation 
of  their  mother,  propose  to  subdue  Gaul. 

When  he  had  thus  gained  universal  affection,  he  began  to 
consult  with  himself  how  he  might  take  revenge  upon  his 
brother  Belinus.  And  when  he  had  signified  his  intentions 
concerning  it  to  his  subjects,  they  unanimously  concurred 
with  him,  and  expressed  their  readiness  to  attend  him  to 
whatever  kingdom  he  pleased  to  conduct  them.  He  there- 
fore soon  raised  a  vast  army,  and  having  entered  into  a  treaty 
with  the  Gauls  for  a  free  passage  through  their  country  into 
Britain,  fitted  out  a  fleet  upon  the  coast  of  Neustria,  in  which 
he  set  sail,  and  with  a  fair  wind  arrived  at  the  island.  Upon 
hearing  the  rumour  of  his  coming,  his  brother  Belinus, 
accompanied  with  the  whole  strength  of  the  kingdom, 
marched  out  to  engage  him.  But  when  the  two  armies  were 
drawn  out  in  order  of  battle,  and  just  ready  to  begin  the 
attack,  Conwenna,  their  mother,  who  was  yet  living,  ran  in 
great  haste  through  the  ranks,  impatient  to  see  her  son,  whom 
she  had  not  seen  for  a  long  time.  As  soon,  therefore,  as  she 
had  with  trembling  steps  reached  the  place  where  he  stood, 
she  threw  her  arms  about  his  neck,  and  in  transports  kissed 
him ;  then  uncovering  her  bosom,  she  addressed  herself  to 
him,  in  words  interrupted  with  sighs,  to  this  effect : — 

"  My  son,  remember  these  breasts  which  gave  you  suck, 
and  the  womb  wherein  the  Creator  of  all  things  formed  you, 
and  from  whence  he  brought  you  forth  into  the  world,  while 
I  endured  the  greatest  anguish,  By  the  pains  then  which  I 
suffered  for  you,  I  entreat  you  to  hear  my  request :  pardon 
your  brother,  and  moderate  your  anger.  You  ought  not  to 
revenge  yourself  upon  him  who  has  done  you  no  injury.  As 
for  what  you  complain  of, — that  you  were  banished  your 
country  by  him, — if  you  duly  consider  the  result,  in  strict- 
ness can  it  be  called  injustice  ?  He  did  not  banish  you  to 
make  your  condition  worse,  but  forced  you  to  quit  a  meaner 
that  you  might  attain  a  higher  dignity.  At  first  you  en- 
joyed only  a  part  of  a  kingdom,  and  that  in  subjection  to  your 


123  GeOf^r^y's  British  history  [book  us. 

brother.  As  soon  as  you  lost  that,  you  became  his  equal,  by 
gaining  the  kingdom  of  the  Allobroges.  What  has  he  then  done, 
but  raised  you  from  a  vassal  to  be  a  king  ?  Consider  farther* 
that  the  difference  between  you  began  not  through  him,  but 
through  yourself,  who,  with  the  assistance  of  the  king  of 
Norway,  raised  an  insurrection  against  him." 

Moved  by  these  representations  of  his  mother,  he  obeyed 
her  with  a  composed  mind,  and  putting  off  his  helmet  of  his 
own  accord,  went  straight  with  her  to  his  brother.  Belinus, 
seeing  him  approach  with  a  peaceable  countenance,  threw 
down  his  arms,  and  ran  to  embrace  him  ;  so  that  now,  with- 
out more  ado,  they  again  became  friends ;  and  disarming  their 
forces  marched  with  them  peaceably  together  to  Trinovantum. 
And  here,  after  consultation  what  enterprise  to  undertake, 
they  prepared  to  conduct  their  confederate  army  into  the 
provinces  of  Gaul,  and  reduce  that  entire  country  to  their 
subjection. 

Chap.  VIII. — Belinus  and  Brennius,  after  the  conquest  of  Gaul,  march 
with  their  army  to  Rome. 

They  accordingly  passed  over  into  Gaul  the  year  after,  and 
began  to  lay  waste  that  country.  The  news  of  which  spread- 
ing through  those  several  nations,  all  the  petty  kings  of  the 
Franks  entered  into  a  confederacy,  and  went  out  to  fight 
against  them.  But  the  victory  falling  to  Belinus  and  Bren- 
nius,  the  Franks  fled  with  their  broken  forces  ;  and  the 
Britons  and  Allobroges,  elevated  with  their  success,  ceased 
not  to  pursue  them  till  they  had  taken  their  kings,  and  re- 
duced them  to  their  power.  Then  fortifying  the  cities  which 
they  had  taken,  in  less  than  a  year  they  brought  the  whole 
kingdom  into  subjection.  At  last,  after  a  reduction  of  all  the" 
provinces,  they  marched  with  their  whole  army  towards 
Rome,  and  destroyed  the  cities  and  villages  as  they  passed 
through  Italy. 

Chap.  IX. — The  Romatts  make  a  covenant  with  Brennius,  but  afterwards 
break  it,  for  which  reason  Rome  is  besieged  and  taken  by  Brennius* 

In  those  days  the  two  consuls  of  Rome  were  Gabius  and 
Porsena,*  to  whose  care  the  government  of  the  country  was 

*  The  absurdity  of  describing  Porsena  king  of  Etruria,  as  one  of  tM 
Roman  consuls,  must  be  apparent  to  every  reader.    No  less  evident  a  it 


ob.  9.]  BRENNIUS  BESIEGES  HOME.  129 

committed.  When  they  saw  that  no  nation  was  able  to 
withstand  the  power  of  Belinus  and  Brennius,  they  came, 
with  the  consent  of  the  senate,  to  them,  to  desire  peace  and 
amity.  They  likewise  offered  large  presents  of  gold  and 
silver,  and  to  pay  a  yearly  tribute,  on  condition  that  they 
might  be  suffered  to  enjoy  their  own  in  peace.  The  two 
kings  therefore,  taking  hostages  of  them,  yielded  to  their 
petition,  and  drew  back  their  forces  into  Germany.  While 
they  were  employing  their  arms  in  harassing  that  people, 
the  Romans  repented  of  their  agreement,  and  again  taking 
courage,  went  to  assist  the  Germans.  This  step  highly  en- 
raged the  kings  against  them,  who  concerted  measures  how 
to  carry  on  a  war  with  both  nations.  For  the  greatness  of 
the  Italian  army  was  a  terror  to  them.  The  result  of  their 
council  was,  that  Belinus  with  the  Britons  stayed  in  Ger- 
many, to  engage  with  the  enemy  there  ;  while  Brennius  and 
his  army  marched  to  Rome,  to  revenge  on  the  Romans  their 
breach  of  treaty.  As  soon  as  the  Italians  perceived  their 
design,  they  quitted  the  Germans,  and  hastened  to  get  before 
Brennius,  in  his  march  to  Rome.  Belinus  had  intelligence 
of  it,  and  speedily  marched  with  his  army  the  same  night, 
and  possessing  himself  of  a  valley  through  which  the  enemy 
was  to  pass,  lay  hid  there  in  expectation  of  their  coming. 
The  next  day  the  Italians  came  in  full  march  to  the  place  ; 
but  when  they  saw  the  valley  glittering  with  the  enemy's 
armour,  they  were  struck  with  confusion,  thinking  Brennius 
and  the  GalH  Senones  were  there.  At  this  favourable  oppor- 
tunity, Belinus  on  a  sudden  rushed  forth,  and  fell  furiously 
upon  them  :  the  Romans  on  the  other  hand,  thus  taken  by 
surprise,  fled  the  field,  since  they  neither  were  armed,  nor 
marched  in  any  order.  But  Belinus  gave  them  no  quarter, 
and  was  only  prevented  by  night  coming  on,  from  making  a 
total  destruction  of  them.  With  this  victory  he  went  straight 
to  Brennius,  who  had  now  besieged  Rome  three  days.  Then 
joining  their  armies,  they  assaulted  the  city  on  every  side, 
and  endeavoured  to  level  the  walls  :'  and  to  strike  a  greater 
terror  into  the  besieged,  erected  gibbets  before  the  gates  of 
the  city,  and  threatened  to  hang  up  the  hostages  whom  they 
had  given,  unless  they  would  surrender.     But  the  Romans, 

that  the  whole  of  this  fictitious  account  is  founded  upon  the  known  fact, 
that  Rome  was  taken  by  the  Gauls  commanded  by  one  Brennus. 

K 


130  GEOFFREY'S  BRITISH  HISTORY.  Ibookiu. 

nothing  moved  by  the  sufferings  of  their  sons  and  relations, 
continued  inflexible,  and  resolute  to  defend  themselves. 
They  therefore  sometimes  broke  the  force  of  the  enemy's  en- 
gines, by  other  engines  of  their  own,  sometimes  repulsed 
them  from  the  walls  with  showers  of  darts.  This  so  incensed 
the  two  brothers,  that  they  commanded  four  and  twenty  of 
their  noblest  hostages  to  be  hanged  in  the  sight  of  their 
parents.  The  Romans,  however,  were  only  more  hardened 
at  the  spectacle,  and  having  received  a  message  from  Gabius 
and  Porsena,  their  consuls,  that  they  would  come  the  next 
day  to  their  assistance,  they  resolved  to  march  out  of  the  city, 
and  give  the  enemy  battle.  Accordingly,  just  as  they  were 
ranging  their  troops  in  order,  the  consuls  appeared  with  their 
re-assembled  forces,  marching  up  to  the  attack,  and  ad- 
vancing in  a  close  body,  fell  on  the  Britons  and  Allobroges  by 
surprise,  and  being  joined  by  the  citizens  that  sallied  forth, 
killed  no  small  number.  The  brothers,  in  great  grief  to  see 
such  destruction  made  of  their  fellow  soldiers,  began  to  rally 
their  men,  and  breaking  in  upon  the  enemy  several  times, 
forced  them  to  retire.  In  the  end,  after  the  loss  of  many 
thousands  of  brave  men  on  both  sides,  the  brothers  gained 
the  day,  and  took  the  city,  not  however  till  Gabius  was  killed 
and  Porsena  taken  prisoner.  This  done,  they  divided  among 
their  men  all  the  hidden  treasure  of  the  city. 

Chap.  X. — B retinitis  oppresses  Italy  in  a  most  tyrannical  manner.    BeM- 
nus  returns  to  Britain. 

After  this  complete  victory,  Brennius  stayed  in  Italy, 
where  he  exercised  unheard-of  tyranny  over  the  people. 
But  the  rest  of  his  actions  and  his  death,  seeing  that  they 
are  given  in  the  Roman  histories,  I  shall  here  pass  over,  to 
avoid  prolixity  and  meddling  with  what  others  have  treated 
of,  which  is  foreign  to  my  design.  But  Belinus  returned  to 
Britain,  which  he  governed  during  the  remainder  of  his  life 
in  peace ;  he  repaired  the  cities  that  were  falling  to  ruin,  and 
built  many  new  ones.  Among  the  rest  he  built  one  upon 
the  river  Uske,  near  the  sea  of  the  Severn,  which  was  for  a 
long  time  called  Caerosc,  and  was  the  metropolis  of  Di- 
metia;*  but  after  the  invasion  of  the  Romans  it  lost  its 

*  Newport,  the  principal  town  of  South  Wales. 


ch.  11,12]  DENMARK  RE-CONQUERED.  131 

first  name,  and  was  called  the  City  of  Legions,  from  the 
Roman  legions  which  used  to  take  up  their  winter  quarters 
in  it.  He  also  made  a  gate  of  wonderful  structure  in  Trino- 
vantum,  upon  the  bank  of  the  Thames,  which  the  citizens 
call  after  his  name  Billingsgate  to  this  day.  Over  it  he  built 
a  prodigiously  large  tower,  and  under  it  a  haven  or  quay  for 
ships.  He  was  a  strict  observer  of  justice,  and  re-established 
his  father's  laws  everywhere  throughout  the  kingdom.  In 
his  days  there  was  so  great  an  abundance  of  riches  among 
the  people,  that  no  age  before  or  after  is  said  to  have  shown 
the  like.  At  last,  when  he  had  finished  his  days,  his  body 
was  burned,  and  the  ashes  put  up  in  a  golden  urn,  which 
they  placed  at  Trinovantum,  with  wonderful  art,  on  the  top 
of  the  tower  abovementioned. 

Chap.  XI. — Gurgiunt  Brabtruc,  succeeding  his  father  Belinus,  reduces 
Dacia,  which  was  trying  to  shake  off  his  yoke. 

He  was  succeeded  by  Gurgiunt  Brabtruc,  his  son,  a  sober 
prudent  prince,  who  followed  the  example  of  his  father  in  all 
his  actions,  and  was  a  lover  of  peace  and  justice.  When 
some  neighbouring  provinces  rebelled  against  him,  inheriting 
with  them  the  bravery  of  his  father,  he  repressed  their  inso- 
lence in  several  fierce  battles,  and  reduced  them  to  a  perfect 
subjection.  Among  many  other  things  it  happened,  that  the 
king  of  the  Dacians,  who  paid  tribute  in  his  father's  time, 
refused  not  only  tribute,  but  all  manner  of  homage  to  him. 
This  he  seriously  resented,  and  passed  over  in  a  fleet  to 
Dacia,  where  he  harassed  the  people  with  a  most  cruel  war, 
slew  their  king,  and  reduced  the  country  to  its  former 
dependence. 

Chap.  XII. — Ireland  is  given  to  be  inhabited  by  the  Barclenses,  who  had 
been  banished  out  of  Spain. 

At  that  time,  as  he  was  returning  home  from  his  conquest 
through  the  Orkney  islands,  he  found  thirty  ships  full  of  men 
and  women ;  and  upon  his  inquiring  of  them  the  occasion  of 
their  coming  thither,  their  leader,  named  Partholoim,  ap- 
proached him  in  a  respectful  and  submissive  manner,  and 
desired  pardon  and  peace,  telling  him  that  he  had  been  driven 
out  of  Spain,  and  was  sailing  round  those  seas  in  quest  of 

k  2 


132  GEOFFREY'S  BRITISH  HISTORY.  [book  in. 

a  habitation.  He  also  desired  some  small  part  of  Britain  to 
dwell  in,  that  they  might  put  an  end  to  their  tedious  wan- 
derings; for  it  was  now  a  year  and  a  half  since  he  had 
been  driven  from  his  country,  all  of  which  time  he  and  his 
company  had  been  out  at  sea.  When  Gurgiunt  Brabtruc 
understood  that  they  came  from  Spain,  and  were  called  Bar- 
clenses,  he  granted  their  petition,  and  sent  men  with  them  to 
Ireland,  which  was  then  wholly  uninhabited,  and  assigned  it 
to  them.  There  they  grew  up  and  increased  in  number,  and 
have  possessed  that  island  to  this  very  day.  Gurgiunt 
Brabtruc  after  this  ended  his  days  in  peace,  and  was  buried 
in  the  City  of  Legions,  which,  after  his  father's  death,  he 
ornamented  with  buildings  and  fortified  with  walls. 


Chap.  XIII. — Guithelin,  reigning  after  Gurgiunt  Brabtruc,  the  Marfan 
law  is  instituted  by  Martia,  a  noble  woman. 

After  him  Guithelin  wore  the  crown,  which  he  enjoyed  all 
his  life,  treating  his  subjects  with  mildness  and  affection. 
He  had  for  his  wife  a  noble  lady  named  Martia,  accomplished 
in  all  kinds  of  learning.  Among  many  other  admirable  pro- 
ductions of  her  wit,  she  was  the  author  of  what  the  Britons 
call  the  Martian  law.  This  also  among  other  things  king 
v*  Alfred  translated,  and  called  it  in  the  Saxon  tongue,  Pa 
*l  Marchitle  Lage.  Upon  the  death  of  Guithelin,  the  govern- 
ment of  the  kingdom  remained  in  the  hands  of  this  queen 
and  her  son  Sisilius,  who  was  then  but  seven  years  old, 
and  therefore  unfit  to  take  the  government  upon  himself 
alone. 

Chap.  XIV. — Guxthelin's  successors  in  the  kingdom. 

For  this  reason  the  mother  had  the  sole  management  of 
affairs  committed  to  her,  out  of  a  regard  to  her  great  sense 
and  judgment.  But  on  her  death,  Sisilius  took  the  crown 
and  government.  After  him  reigned  Kimarus  his  son,  to 
whom  succeeded  Danius  his  brother.  After  his  death  the 
crown  came  to  Morvidus,  whom  he  had  by  his  concubine 
Tangustela.  He  would  have  been  a  prince  of  extraordinary 
worth,  had  he  not  been  addicted  to  immoderate  cruelty,  bo 
far  that  in  his  anger  he  spared  nobody,  if  any  weapon  i 


«l  15, 1«  ]  CHARACTER  OF  GORBONIAN.  133 

at  hand.  He  was  of  a  graceful  aspect,  extremely  liberal, 
and  of  such  vast  strength  as  not  to  have  his  match  in  the 
whole  kingdom. 

Chap.  XV. — Morvidus,  a  most  cruel  tyrant,  after  the  conquest  of  the  king 
of  the  Morini,  is  devoured  by  a  monster. 

In  his  time  a  certain  king  of  the  Morini*  arrived  with  a 
great  force  in  Northumberland,  and  began  to  destroy  the 
country.  But  Morvidus,  with  all  the  strength  of  the  king- 
dom, marched  out  against  him,  and  fought  him.  In  this 
battle  he  alone  did  more  than  the  greatest  part  of  his  army, 
and  after  the  victory,  suffered  none  of  the  enemy  to  escape 
alive.  For  he  commanded  them  to  be  brought  to  him  one 
after  another,  that  he  might  satisfy  his  cruelty  in  seeing 
them  killed ;  and  when  he  grew  tired  of  this,  he  gave  orders 
that  they  should  be  flayed  alive  and  burned.  During  these 
and  other  monstrous  acts  of  cruelty,  an  accident  happened 
which  put  a  period  to  his  wickedness.  There  came  from  the 
coasts  of  the  Irish  sea,  a  most  cruel  monster,  that  was  con- 
tinually devouring  the  people  upon  the  sea-coasts.  As  soon 
as  he  heard  of  it,  he  ventured  to  go  and  encounter  it  alone ; 
when  he  had  in  vain  spent  all  his  darts  upon  it,  the  monster 
rushed  upon  him,  and  with  open  jaws  swallowed  him  up  like 
a  small  fish. 

Chap.  XVI. — Gorbonian,  a  most  just  king  of  the  Britons, 

He  had  five  sons,  whereof  the  eldest,  Gorbonian,  ascended 
the  throne.  There  was  not  in  his  time  a  greater  lover  of 
justice  and  equity,  or  a  more  careful  ruler  of  the  people. 
The  performance  of  due  worship  to  the  gods,  and  doing  jus- 
tice to  the  common  people,  were  his  continual  employments. 
Through  all  the  cities  of  Britain,  he  repaired  the  temples  of 
the  gods,  and  built  many  new  ones.  In  all  his  days,  the 
island  abounded  with  riches,  more  than  all  the  neighbouring 
countries.  For  he  gave  great  encouragement  to  husbandmen 
in  their  tillage,  by  protecting  them  against  any  injury  or  op- 
pression of  their  lords ;  and  the  soldiers  he  amply  rewarded 
with  money,  so  that  no  one  had  occasion  to  do  wrong  to  an- 

*  The  people  who  lived  near  Boulogne. 


134  Geoffrey's  British  history.  [book  m. 

other.  Amidst  these  and  many  other  acts  of  his  innate 
goodness,  he  paid  the  debt  of  nature,  and  was  buried  at 
Trinovantum. 

Chap.  XVII. — Arthgallo  is  deposed  by  the  Britons,  and  is  succeeded  by 
Elidure,  who  restores  him  again  his  kingdom. 

After  him  Arthgallo,  his  brother,  was  dignified  with  the 
crown,  and  in  all  his  actions  he  was  the  very  reverse  of  his 
brother.  He  everywhere  endeavoured  to  depress  the  nobility, 
and  advance  the  baser  sort  of  the  people.  He  plundered  the 
rich,  and  by  those  means  amassed  vast  treasures.  But  the 
nobility,  disdaining  to  bear  his  tyranny  any  longer,  made  an 
insurrection  against  him,  and  deposed  him ;  and  then  advanced 
Elidure,  his  brother,  who  was  afterwards  surnamed  the  pious, 
on  account  of  his  commiseration  to  Arthgallo  in  distress.  For 
after  five  years'  possession  of  the  kingdom,  as  he  happened  to 
be  hunting  in  the  wood  Calaterium,  he  met  his  brother  that 
had  been  deposed.  For  he  had  travelled  over  several  king- 
doms, to  desire  assistance  for  the  recovery  of  his  lost 
dominions,  but  had  procured  none.  And  being  now  no 
longer  able  to  bear  the  poverty  to  which  he  was  reduced, 
he  returned  back  to  Britain,  attended  only  by  ten  men,  with 
a  design  to  repair  to  those  who  had  been  formerly  his  friends. 
It  was  at  this  time,  as  he  was  passing  through  the  wood,  his 
brother  Elidure,  who  little  expected  it,  got  sight  of  him,  and 
forgetting  all  injuries,  ran  to  him,  and  affectionately  embraced 
him.  Now  as  he  had  long  lamented  his  brother's  affliction, 
he  carried  him  with  him  to  the  city  Alclud,  where  he  hid 
him  in  his  bed-chamber.  After  this,  he  feigned  himself 
sick,  and  sent  messengers  over  the  whole  kingdom,  to 
signify  to  all  his  prime  nobility  that  they  should  come  to 
visit  him.  Accordingly,  when  they  were  all  met  together  at 
the  city  where  he  lay,  he  gave  orders  that  they  should  come 
into  his  chamber  one  by  one,  softly,  and  without  noise :  his 
pretence  for  which  was,  that  their  talk  would  be  a  disturb- 
ance to  his  head,  should  they  all  crowd  in  together.  Thus, 
in  obedience  to  his  commands,  and  without  the  least  suspicion 
of  any  design,  they  entered  his  house  one  after  another.  But 
Elidure  had  given  charge  to  his  servants,  who  were  set  ready 
for  the  purpose,  to  take  each  of  them  as  they  entered,  and  cat 
off  their  heads,  unless  they  would  again  submit  themselves  to 


ch.  17, 18.]  ELIDURE  IMPRISONED.  135 

Arthgallo  his  brother.  Thus  did  he  with  every  one  of  them 
apart,  and  compelled  them,  through  fear,  to  be  reconciled  to 
Arthgallo.  At  last  the  agreement  being  ratified,  Elidure 
conducted  Arthgallo  to  York,  where  he  took  the  crown  from 
his  own  head,  and  put  it  on  that  of  his  brother.  From  this 
act  of  extraordinary  affection  to  his  brother,  he  obtained  the 
surname  of  Pious.  Arthgallo  after  this  reigned  ten  years, 
and  made  amends  for  his  former  mal-administration,  by 
pursuing  measures  of  an  entirely  opposite  tendency,  in 
depressing  the  baser  sort,  and  advancing  men  of  good 
birth ;  in  suffering  every  one  to  enjoy  his  own,  and  exer- 
cising strict  justice  towards  all  men.  At  last  sickness 
seizing  him,  he  died,  and  was  buried  in  the  city  Kaerleir. 


Chap.  XVIII. — Elidure  is  imprisoned  by  Peredure,  after  whose  death  he 
is  a  third  time  advanced  to  the  throne. 

Then  Elidure  was  again  advanced  to  the  throne,  and  restored 
to  his  former  dignity.  But  while  in  his  government  he 
followed  the  example  of  his  eldest  brother  Gorbonian,  in 
performing  all  acts  of  grace ;  his  two  remaining  brothers, 
Vigenius  and  Peredure,  raised  an  army,  and  made  war 
against  him,  in  which  they  proved  victorious  ;  so  that  they 
took  him  prisoner,  and  shut  him  up  in  the  tower*  at 
Trinovantum,  where  they  placed  a  guard  over  him.  They 
then  divided  the  kingdom  betwixt  them  ;  that  part  which  is 
from  the  river  Humber  westward  falling  to  Vigenius's  share, 
and  the  remainder  with  all  Albania  to  Peredure's.  After 
seven  years  Vigenius  died,  and  so  the  whole  kingdom  came 
to  Peredure,  who  from  that  time  governed  the  people  with 
generosity  and  mildness,  so  that  he  even  excelled  his  other 
brothers  who  had  preceded  him,  nor  was  any  mention  now 
made  of  Elidure.  But  irresistible  fate  at  last  removed  him 
suddenly,  and  so  made  way  for  Elidure's  release  from  prison, 
and  advancement  to  the  throne  the  third  time  ;  who  finished 
the  course  of  his  life  in  just  and  virtuous  actions,  and  after 
death  left  an  example  of  piety  to  his  successors. 

•  The  tower  of  London  was  built  or  at  least  repaired  and  enlarged  by 
William  Rufus.  The  story  of  its  having  been  originally  constructed  by 
Julius  Caesar  is  an  absurd  fiction  irreconcilable  with  the  Commentaries  of 
that  general.     See  William  of  Malmesbury,  p.  341. 


136  GEOFFREYS  BRITISH  HISTORY.  Lwxwin. 


Chap.  XIX. — The  names  of  Elidure' s  thirty-three  successors, 

Elidure  being  dead,  Gorbonian's  son  enjoyed  the  crown, 
and  imitated  his  uncle's  wise  and  prudent  government 
For  he  abhorred  tyranny,  and  practised  justice  and  mildness 
towards  the  people,  nor  did  he  ever  swerve  from  the  rule  of 
equity.  After  him  reigned  Margan,  the  son  of  Arthgallo, 
who,  being  instructed  by  the  examples  of  his  immediate 
predecessors,  held  the  government  in  peace.  To  him 
succeeded  Enniaunus,  his  brother,  who  took  a  contrary 
course,  and  in  the  sixth  year  of  his  reign  was  deposed, 
for  having  preferred  a  tyrannical  to  a  just  and  legal  admin- 
istration. In  his  room  was  placed  his  kinsman  Idwallo,  the 
son  of  Vigenius,  who,  being  admonished  by  Enniaunus's  ill 
success,  became  a  strict  observer  of  justice  and  equity.  To 
him  succeeded  Eunno,  the  son  of  Peredure,  whose  successor 
was  Geruntius,  the  son  of  Elidure.  After  him  reigned 
Catellus,  his  son ;  after  Catellus,  Coillus ;  after  Coillus, 
Porrex ;  after  Porrex,  Cherin.  This  prince  had  three 
sons,  Fulgenius,  Eldadus,  and  Andragius,  who  all  reigned 
one  after  another.  Then  succeeded  Urianus,  the  son  of 
Andragius  ;  after  whom  reigned  in  order,  Eliud,  Cledaucus, 
Cletonus,  Gurgintius,  Merianus,  Bleduno,  Cap,  Oenus, 
Sisilius,  Blegabred.  This  last  prince,  in  singing  and 
playing  upon  musical  instruments,  excelled  all  the  musicians 
that  had  been  before  him,  so  that  he  seemed  worthy  of  the 
title  of  the  God  of  Jesters.  After  him  reigned  Arthmail, 
his  brother ;  after  Arthmail,  Eldol ;  to  whom  succeeded  in 
order,  Redion,  Rederchius,  Samuilpenissel,  Pir,  Capoir,  and 
Cligueillus  the  son  of  Capoir,  a  man  prudent  and  mild  in  all 
his  actions,  and  who  above  all  things  made  it  his  business  to 
exercise  true  justice  among  his  people. 

Chap.  XX. — HelVs  three  sons  ;  the  first  of  whom,  vht.  Lud,  gives  name 
to  the  city  of  London, 

Next  to  him  succeeded  his  son  Heli,  who  reigned  forty 
years.  He  had  three  sons,  Lud,  Cassibellaun,*  and 
Nennius ;  of  whom  Lud,  being  the  eldest,  succeeded  to 
the  kingdom  after  his  father's  death.  He  became  famous 
*  The  British  name  of  this  prince  is  probably  Caswallon. 


ch.20.]  LONDON — ITS  ORIGIN.  137 

for  the  building  of  cities,  and  for  rebuilding  the  walls  of 
Trinovantum,  which  he  also  surrounded  with  innumerable 
towers.  He  likewise  commanded  the  citizens  to  build 
houses,  and  all  other  kinds  of  structures  in  it,  so  that  no  city 
in  all  foreign  countries  to  a  great  distance  round  could 
show  more  beautiful  palaces.  He  was  withal  a  warlike 
man,  and  very  magnificent  in  his  feasts  and  public  enter- 
tainments. And  though  he  had  many  other  cities,  yet  he 
loved  this  above  them  all,  and  resided  in  it  the  greater 
part  of  the  year ;  for  which  reason  it  was  afterwards 
called  Kaerlud,  and  by  the  corruption  of  the  word,  Caer- 
london ;  and  again  by  change  of  languages,  in  process 
of  time,  London ;  as  also  by  foreigners  who  arrived  here, 
and  reduced  this  country  under  their  subjection,  it  was 
called  Londres.  At  last,  when  he  was  dead,  his  body 
was  buried  by  the  gate  which  to  this  time  is  called  in 
the  British  tongue  after  his  name,  Parthlud,*  and  in  the 
Saxon,  Ludesgata.  He  had  two  sons,  Androgeus  and 
Tenuantius,  who  were  incapable  of  governing  on  account 
of  their  age :  and  therefore  their  uncle  Cassibellaun  was 
preferred  to  the  kingdom  in  their  room.  As  soon  as  he 
was  crowned,  he  began  to  display  his  generosity  and  magnifi- 
cence to  such  a  degree,  that  his  fame  reached  to  distant  king- 
doms ;  which  was  the  reason  that  the  monarchy  of  the  whole 
kingdom  came  to  be  invested  in  him,  and  not  in  his 
nephews.  Notwithstanding  Cassibellaun,  from  an  impulse 
of  piety,  would  not  suffer  them  to  be  without  their  share 
in  the  kingdom,  but  assigned  a  large  part  of  it  to  them. 
For  he  bestowed  the  city  of  Trinovantum,  with  the  duke- 
dom of  Kent,  on  Androgeus  ;  and  the  dukedom  of  Cornwall 
on  Tenuantius.  But  he  himself,  as  possessing  the  crown, 
had  the  sovereignty  over  them,  and  all  the  other  princes 
of  the  island. 

*  In  Latin  Porta-Lud, 


138  Geoffrey's  British  history. 


BOOK  IV. 

Chap.  I.— Julius  Casar  invades  Britain. 

About  this  time  it  happened,  (as  is  found  in  the  Roman 
histories,)  that  Julius  Caesar,  having  subdued  Gaul,  came 
to  the  shore  of  the  Ruteni.  And  when  from  thence  he 
had  got  a  prospect  of  the  island  of  Britain,  he  inquired 
of  those  about  him  what  country  it  was,  and  what  people 
inhabited  it.  Then  fixing  h^jjpywLupqji.  tne  ocean,  as 
soon  as  he  was  informed  d^Be  nmne  of  the  kingdom 
and  the  people,  he  said:*  "IMiratfrwe  Romans  and  the 
Britons  have  the  same  origin,  since  both  are  descended 
from  the  Trojan  race.  Our  first  father,  after  the  de- 
struction of  Troy,  was  ^Eneas ;  theirs,  Brutus,  whose 
father  was  Sylvius,  the  son  of  Ascanius,  the  son  of 
^Eneas.  But  I  am  deceived,  if  they  are  not  very  much 
degenerated  from  us,  and  know  nothing  of  the  art  of  war, 
since  they  live  separated  by  the  ocean  from  the  whole  world. 
They  may  be  easily  forced  to  become  our  tributaries,  and 
subjects  to  the  Roman  state.  But  before  the  Romans  offer 
to  invade  or  assault  them,  we  must  send  them  word  that 
they  pay  tribute  as  other  nations  do,  and  submit  themselves 
to  the  senate  ;  for  fear  we  should  violate  the  ancient  nobility 
of  our  father  Priamus,  by  shedding  the  blood  of  our  kins- 
men." All  which  he  accordingly  took  care  to  signify  in 
writing  to  Cassibellaun  ;  who  in  great  indignation  returned 
him  an  answer  in  the  following  letter. 

Chap.  II. — Cassibellaunus's  letter  to  Julius  Cessar, 

"  Cassibellaun,  king  of  the  Britons,  to  Caius  Julius  Caesar. 
We  cannot  but  wonder,  Caesar,  at  the  avarice  of  the  Roman 
people,  since  their  insatiable  thirst  for  money  cannot  let  us 
alone,  though  the  dangers  of  the  ocean  have  placed  us  in  a 
manner  out  of  the  world ;  but  they  must  have  the  presump- 
tion to  covet  our  substance,  which  we  have  hitherto  enjoyed 

*  It  is  ridiculous  to  suppose  that  Caesar  said  any  thing  of  the  kind,  for 
he  knew  well  the  slender  historical  evidence  on  which  the  Trojan  story 
depended. 


CB.3.J  OfiSAR's  ARRIVAL  IN  BRITAIN.  139 

in  quiet.  Neither  is  this  indeed  sufficient :  we  must  also 
choose  subjection  and  slavery  to  them,  before  the  enjoyment 
of  our  native  liberty.  Your  demand,  therefore,  Caesar,  is 
scandalous,  since  the  same  vein  of  nobility  flows  from  ^Eneas 
in  both  Britons  and  Romans,  and  one  and  the  same  chain  of 
consanguinity  unites  us  :  which  ought  to  be  a  band  of  firm 
union  and  friendship.  It  was  that,  which  you  should  ha>ve 
demanded  of  us,  and  not  slavery  :  we  have  learned  to  admit 
of  the  one,  but  never  to  bear  the  other.  And  so  much  have 
we  been  accustomed  to  liberty,  that  we  are  perfectly  ignorant 
what  it  is  to  submit  ^fH^hk  And  if  even  the  gods  them- 
selves should  attempflraJ^Hre  us  of  our  liberty,  we  would, 
to  the  utmost  of  our'power,  resist  them  in  defence  of  it. 
Know  then,  Caesar,  that  we  are  ready  to  fight  for  that  and 
our  kingdom,  if,  as  you  threaten,  you  shall  attempt  to  invade 
Britain.,, 


Chap.  III. — Ccesar  is  routed  by  Cassibellaun. 

On  receiving  this  answer,  Caesar  made  ready  his  fleet,  and 
waited  for  a  fair  wind  to  execute  his  threats  against  Cassi- 
bellaun.  As  soon  as  the  wind  stood  fair,  he  hoisted  his  sails, 
and  arrived  with  his  army  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Thames. 
The  ships  were  now  just  come  close  to  land,  when  Cassibel- 
laun  with  all  his  forces  appeared  on  his  march  against  them, 
and  coming  to  the  town  of  Dorobellum,  he  consulted  with  his 
nobility  how  to  drive  out  the  enemy.  There  was  present 
with  him  Belinus,  general  of  his  army,  by  whose  counsel  the 
whole  kingdom  was  governed.  There  were  also  his  two 
nephews,  Androgeus,  duke  of  Trinovantum,  and  Tenuantius, 
duke  of  Cornwall,  together  with  three  inferior  kings,  Cridious, 
king  of  Albania,  Guerthaeth  of  Venedotia,  and  Britael  of 
Dimetia,  who,  as  they  had  encouraged  the  rest  to  fight  the 
enemy,  gave  their  advice  to  march  directly  to  Caesar's  camp, 
and  drive  them  out  of  the  country  before  they  could  take  any 
city  or  town.  For  if  he  should  possess  himself  of  any  forti- 
fied places,  they  said  it  would  be  more  difficult  to  force  him 
out,  because  he  would  then  know  whither  to  make  a  retreat 
with  his  men.  To  this  proposal  they  all  agreed,  and  ad- 
vanced towards  the  shore  where  Julius  Caesar  had  pitched 
his  camp.  And  now  both  armies  drew  out  in  order  of  battle, 
and  began  the  fight,  wherein  both  bows  and  swords  were 


140  Geoffrey's  beitish  history.  [book  it. 

employed.     Immediately  the  wounded  fell  in  heaps  on  each 
side,  and  the  ground  was  drenched  with  the  blood  of  the 
slain,  as  much  as  if  it  had  been  washed  with  the  sudden 
return  of  the  tide.     While  the  armies  were  thus  engaged,  it 
happened  that  Nennius  and  Androgeus,  with  the  citizens  of 
Canterbury  and  Trinovantum,  whom  they  commanded,  had 
the  fortune   to  meet  with  the  troop  in  which  Caesar  him- 
self was  present.     And  upon  an  assault  made,  the  general's 
cohort  was  very  nearly  routed  by  the  Britons  falling  upon 
them  in  a  close  body.     During  this  action,   fortune  gave 
Nennius  an  opportunity  of  encountering  Caesar.     Nennius 
therefore  boldly  made  up  to  him,  and  was  in  great  joy  that 
he  could  but  give  so  much  as  one  blow  to  so  great  a  man. 
On  the  other  hand,  Caesar  being  aware  of  his  design,  stretched 
out  his  shield  to  receive  him,  and  with  all  his  might  struck 
him  upon  the  helmet  with  his  drawn  sword,  which  he  lifted 
up  again  with  an  intention  to  finish  his  first  blow,  and  make 
it  mortal ;  but  Nennius  carefully  prevented  him  with  his 
shield,  upon  which  Caesar's  sword  glancing  with  great  force 
from  the  helmet,  became  so  firmly  fastened  therein,  that  when 
by  the  intervention  of  the  troops  they  could  no  longer  con- 
tinue the  encounter,  the  general  was  not  able  to  draw  it  out 
again.     Nennius,  thus  becoming  master  of  Caesar's  sword, 
threw  away  his  own,  and  pulling  the  other  out,  made  haste 
to  employ  it  against  the  enemy.     Whomsoever  he  struck 
with  it,  he  either  cut  off  his  head,  or  left  him  wounded  with- 
out hopes  of  recovery.     While  he  was  thus  exerting  himaftlf, 
he  was  met  by  Labienus,  a  tribune,  whom  he  killed  in  the 
very  beginning  of  the  encounter.     At  last,  after  the  greatest 
part  of  the  day  was  spent,  the  Britons  poured  in  so  fast,  and 
made  such  vigorous  efforts,  that  by  the  blessing  of  God  they 
obtained  the  victory,   and   Caesar,  with  his  broken  forces, 
retired  to  his  camp  and  fleet.     The  very  same  night,  as  soon 
as  he  had  got  his  men  together  again,  he  went  on  board  his 
fleet,  rejoicing  that  he  had  the  sea  for  his  camp.     And  upon 
his  companions  dissuading  him  from  continuing  the  war  any 
longer,  he  acquiesced  in  their  advice,  and  returned  back  to 
Gaul. 


ch.  4,  5.]  CESAR  BETBEATS  TO  GAUL.  141 


Chap.  I V.  —  Nennius,  the  brother  of  Cassibellaun,  being  wounded  in 
battle  by  Ctesar,  dies, 

Cassibellattn,  in  joy  for  this  triumph,  returned  solemn 
thanks  to  God ;  and  calling  the  companions  of  his  victory 
together,  amply  rewarded  every  one  of  them,  according  as 
they  had  distinguished  themselves.  On  the  other  hand,  he 
was  very  much  oppressed  with  grief  for  his  brother  Nennius, 
who  lay  mortally  wounded,  and  at  the  very  point  of  death. 
For  Caesar  had  wounded  him  in  the  encounter,  and  the  blow 
which  he  had  given  him  proved  incurable ;  so  that  fifteen 
days  after  the  battle  he  died,  and  was  buried  at  Trinovan- 
tum,  by  the  North  Gate.  His  funeral  obsequies  were  per- 
formed with  regal  pomp,  and  Caesar's  sword  put  into  the 
tomb  with  him,  which  he  had  kept  possession  of,  when  struck 
into  his  shield  in  the  combat.  The  name  of  the  sword 
was  Crocea  Mors  (Yellow  Death),  as  being  mortal  to  every 
body  that  was  wounded  with  it. 

Chap.  V. — Caesar's  inglorious  return  to  Gaul. 

After  this  flight  of  Caesar,  and  his  arrival  on  the  Gallic 
coast,  the  Gauls  attempted  to  rebel  and  throw  off  his  yoke. 
For  they  thought  he  was  so  much  weakened,  that  his  forces 
could  be  no  longer  a  terror  to  them.  Besides,  a  general 
report  was  spread  among  them,  that  Cassibellaun  was  now 
out  at  sea  with  a  vast  fleet  to  pursue  him  in  his  flight  ;  on 
which  account  the  Gauls,  growing  still  more  bold,  began  to 
think  of  driving  him  from  their  coasts.  Caesar,  aware  of 
their  designs,  was  not  willing  to  engage  in  a  doubtful  war 
with  a  fierce  people,  but  rather  chose  to  go  to  all  their  first 
nobility  with  open  treasures,  and  reconcile  them  with  presents. 
To  the  common  people  he  promised  liberty,  to  the  dispos- 
sessed the  restitution  of  their  estates,  and  to  the  slaves  their 
freedom.  Thus  he  that  had  insulted  them  before  with  the 
fierceness  of  a  lion,  and  plundered  them  of  all,  now,  with 
the  mildness  of  a  lamb,  fawns  on  them  with  submissive 
abject  speeches,  and  is  glad  to  restore  all  again.  To  these 
acts  of  meanness  he  was  forced  to  condescend  till  he  had 
pacified  them,  and  was  able  to  regain  his  lost  power.  In  the 
meantime  not  a  day  passed  without  his  reflecting  upon  his 
flight,  and  the  victory  of  the  Britons. 


142  Geoffrey's  British  history. 


Chap.  VI. — Cassibellaun  forms  a  stratagem  for  sinking  Casar's  ships. 

After  two  years  were  expired,  he  prepared  to  cross  the  sea 
again,  and  revenge  himself  on  Cassibellaun,  who  having  in- 
telligence of  his  design,  everywhere  fortified  his  cities,  re- 
paired the  ruined  walls,  and  placed  armed  men  at  all  the 
ports.  In  the  river  Thames,  on  which.  Caesar  intended  to 
sail  up  to  Trinovantum,  he  caused  iron  and  leaden  stakes, 
each  as  thick  as  a  man's  thigh,  to  be  fixed  under  the  surface 
of  the  water,  that  Caesar's  ships  might  founder.  He  then 
assembled  all  the  forces  of  the  island,  and  took  up  his  quar- 
ters with  them  near  the  sea-coasts,  in  expectation  of  the 
enemy's  coming. 

Chap.  VII. — Casar  a  second  time  vanquished  by  the  Britons* 

After  he  had  furnished  himself  with  all  necessaries,  the 
Roman  general  embarked  with  a  vast  army,  eager  to  revenge 
himself  on  a  people  that  had  defeated  him  ;  in  which  he  un- 
doubtedly would  have  succeeded,  if  he  could  but  have  brought 
his  fleet  safe  to  land  ;  but  this  he  was  not  able  to  do.  For 
in  sailing  up  the  Thames  to  Trinovantum,  the  ships  struck 
against  the  stakes,  which  so  endangered  them  all  on  a  sudden, 
that  many  thousands  of  the  men  were  drowned,  while  the 
ships  being  pierced  sank  into  the  river.  Caesar,  upon  this, 
employed  all  his  force  to  shift  his  sails,  and  hastened  to  get 
back  again  to  land.  And  so  those  that  remained,  after  a 
narrow  escape,  went  on  shore  with  him.  Cassibellaun,  who 
was  present  upon  the  bank,  with  joy  observed  the  disaster  of 
the  drowned,  but  grieved  at  the  escape  of  the  rest ;  and  upon 
his  giving  a  signal  to  his  men,  made  an  attack  upon  the 
Romans,  who,  notwithstanding  the  danger  they  had  suffered 
in  the  river,  when  landed,  bravely  withstood  the  Britons ; 
and  having  no  other  fence  to  trust  to  but  their  own  courage, 
they  made  no  small  slaughter ;  but  yet  suffered  a  greater  lost 
themselves,  than  that  which  they  were  able  to  give  the  enemy. 
For  their  number  was  considerably  diminished  by  their  loss 
in  the  river;  whereas  the  Britons  being  hourly  increased 
with  new  recruits,  were  three  times  their  number,  and  by 
that  advantage  defeated  them.  Caesar,  seeing  he  could  do 
longer  maintain  his  ground,  fled  with  a  small  body  of  men  to 


ch.  8.]  EVELINUS  KILLS  HIRELGLAS.  148 

his  ships,  and  made  the  sea  his  safe  retreat ;  and  as  the  wind 
stood  fair,  he  hoisted  his  sails,  and  steered  to  the  shore  of 
the  Morini.  From  thence  he  repaired  to  a  certain  tower, 
which  he  had  built  at  a  place  called  Odnea,  before  this  second 
expedition  into  Britain.  For  he  durst  not  trust  the  fickle- 
ness of  the  Gauls,  who  he  feared  would  fall  upon  him  a 
second  time,  as  we  have  said  already  they  did  before,  after 
the  first  flight  he  was  forced  to  make  before  the  Britons. 
And  on  that  account  he  had  built  this  tower  for  a  refuge  to 
himself,  that  he  might  be  able  to  maintain  his  ground  against 
a  rebellious  people,  if  they  should  make  insurrection  against 
him. 

Chap.  "VIII. — Evelinus  kills  Hirelglas.  Androgens  desires  Casar's  assist- 
ance against  Cassibellaun. 

Cassibellaun,  elevated  with  joy  for  this  second  victory, 
published  a  decree,  to  summon  all  the  nobility  of  Britain  with 
their  wives  to  Trinovantum,  in  order  to  perform  solemn 
sacrifices  to  their  tutelary  gods  who  had  given  them  the 
victory  over  so  great  a  commander.  Accordingly,  they  all 
appeared,  and  prepared  a  variety  of  sacrifices,  for  which 
there  was  a  great  slaughter  of  cattle.  At  this  solemnity 
they  offered  forty  thousand  cows,  and  a  hundred  thousand 
sheep,  and  also  fowls  of  several  kinds  without  number,  be- 
sides thirty  thousand  wild  beasts  of  several  kinds.  As  soon 
as  they  had  performed  these  solemn  honours  to  their  gods, 
they  feasted  themselves  on  the  remainder,  as  was  usual  at 
such  sacrifices,  and  spent  the  rest  of  the  day  and  night  in 
various  plays  and  sports.  Amidst  these  diversions,  it  hap- 
pened that  two  noble  youths,  whereof  one  was  nephew  to  the 
king,  the  other  to  duke  Androgeus,  wrestled  together,  and 
afterwards  had  a  dispute  about  the  victory.  The  name  of 
the  king's  nephew  was  Hirelglas,  the  other's  Evelinus.  As 
they  were  reproaching  each  other,  Evelinus  snatched  up  his 
sword  and  cut  off  the  head  of  his  rival.  This  sudden  disas- 
ter put  the  whole  court  into  a  consternation,  upon  which  the 
king  ordered  Evelinus  to  be  brought  before  him,  that  he 
might  be  ready  to  undergo  such  punishment  as  the  nobility 
should  determine,  and  that  the  death  of  Hirelglas  might  be 
revenged  upon  him,  if  he  were  unjustly  killed.  Androgeus, 
suspecting  the  king's  intentions,  made  answer,  that  he  had 


144  Geoffrey's  British  history.  Ibookiy. 

a  court  of  his  own,  and  that  whatever  should  be  alleged 
against  his  own  men,  ought  to  be  determined  there.  I£ 
therefore,  he  was  resolved  to  demand  justice  of  Evelinas,  he 
might  have  it  at  Trinovantum,  according  to  ancient  custom. 
Cassibellaun,  finding  he  could  not  attain  his  ends,  threatened 
Androgeus  to  destroy  his  country  with  fire  and  sword,  if  he 
would  not  comply  with  his  demands.  But  Androgeus,  now 
incensed,  scorned  all  compliance  with  him.  On  the  other 
hand,  Cassibellaun,  in  a  great  rage,  hastened  to  make  good 
his  threats,  and  ravage  the  country.  This  forced  Androgens 
to  make  use  of  daily  solicitations  to  the  king,  by  means  of 
such  as  were  related  to  him,  or  intimate  with  him,  to  divert 
his  rage.  But  when  he  found  these  methods  ineffectual,  he 
began  in  earnest  to  consider  how  to  oppose  him,  At  last, 
when  all  other  hopes  failed,  he  resolved  to  request  assistance 
from  Caesar,  and  wrote  a  letter  to  him  to  this  effect : — 

"Androgeus,  duke  of  Trinovantum,  to  Caius  Julius  Caesar, 
instead  of  wishing  death  as  formerly,  now  wishes  health.  I 
repent  that  ever  I  acted  against  you,  when  you  made  war 
against  the  king.  Had  I  never  been  guilty  of  such  exploits, 
you  would  have  vanquished  Cassibellaun,  who  is  so  swollen 
with  pride  since  his  victory,  that  he  is  endeavouring  to  drive 
me  out  of  his  coasts,  who  procured  him  that  triumph.  Is 
this  a  fit  reward  for  my  services  ?  I  have  settled  him  in  an 
inheritance  ;  and  he  endeavours  to  disinherit  me.  I  have  a 
second  time  restored  him  to  the  kingdom  :  and  he  endeavours 
to  destroy  me.  All  this  have  I  done  for  him  in  fighting 
against  you.  I  call  the  gods  to  witness  I  have  not  deserved 
his  anger,  unless  I  can  be  said  to  deserve  it  for  refusing  to 
deliver  up  my  nephew,  whom  he  would  have  condemned  to 
die  unjustly.  Of  which,  that  you  may  be  better  able  to 
judge,  hear  this  account  of  the  matter.  It  happened  that  for 
joy  of  the  victory  we  performed  solemn  honours  to  our 
tutelary  gods,  in  which  after  we  had  finished  our  sacrifices, 
our  youth  began  to  divert  themselves  with  sports.  Among 
the  rest  our  two  nephews,  encouraged  by  the  example  of  the 
others,  entered  the  lists  ;  and  when  mine  had  got  the  better, 
the  other  without  any  cause  was  incensed,  and  just  going  to 
strike  him  ;  but  he  avoided  the  blow,  and  taking  him  by  the 
hand  that  held  the  sword,  strove  to  wrest  it  from  him.  In 
this  struggle  the  king's  nephew  happened  to  fall  upon  the 


ch.  ».]  DEFEAT  OF   CASSIBELLAHNUS.  145 

sword's  point,  and  died  upon  the  spot.  When  the  king  was 
informed  of  it,  he  commanded  me  to  deliver  up  the  youth, 
that  he  might  be  punished  for  murder.  I  refused  do  it; 
whereupon  he  invaded  my  provinces  with  all  his  forces,  and 
has  given  me  very  great  disturbance ;  flying,  therefore,  to 
your  clemency,  I  desire  your  assistance,  that  by  you  I  may 
be  restored  to  my  dignity,  and  by  me  you  may  gain  posses- 
sion of  Britain.  Let  no  doubts  or  suspicion  of  treachery  in 
this  matter  detain  you.  Be  influenced  by  the  common  motive 
of  mankind  ;  let  past  enmities  beget  a  desire  of  friendship  ; 
and  after  defeat  make  you  more  eager  for  victory." 

Chap.  IX, — Cassibellaun,  being  put  to  flight,  and  besieged  by  Casar, 
desire*  peace. 

Caesar,  having  read  the  letter,  was  advised  by  his  friends 
not  to  go  into  Britain  upon  a  bare  verbal  invitation  of  the 
duke,  unless  he  would  send  such  hostages  as  might  be  for 
his  security.  Without  delay,  therefore,  Androgeus  sent  his 
son  Scaeva  with  thirty  young  noblemen  nearly  related  to 
him.  Upon  delivery  of  the  hostages,  Caesar,  relieved  from 
his  suspicion,  reassembled  his  forces,  and  with  a  fair  wind 
arrived  at  the  port  of  Rutupi.  In  the  meantime  Cassibellaun 
had  begun  to  besiege  Trinovantum  and  ravage  the  country 
towns ;  but  finding  that  Caesar  was  arrived,  he  raised  the 
siege  and  hastened  to  meet  him.  As  soon  as  he  entered  a 
valley  near  Dorobernia,*  he  saw  the  Roman  army  preparing 
their  camp :  for  Androgeus  had  conducted  them  to  this  place, 
for  the  convenience  of  making  a  sudden  assault  upon  the  city. 
The  Romans,  seeing  the  Britons  advancing  towards  them, 
quickly  flew  to  their  arms,  and  ranged  themselves  in  several 
bodies.  The  Britons  also  put  on  their  arms,  and  placed 
themselves  in  their  ranks.  But  Androgeus  with  five 
thousand  men  lay  hid  in  a  wood  hard  by,  to  be  ready  to 
assist  Caesar,  and  spring  forth  on  a  sudden  upon  Cassibellaun 
and  his  party.  Both  armies  now  approached  to  begin  the 
fight,  some  with  bows  and  arrows,  some  with  swords,  so  that 
much  blood  was  shed  on  both  sides,  and  the  wounded  fell 
down  like  leaves  in  autumn.  While  they  were  thus  engaged, 
Androgeus  sallied  forth  from  the  wood,  and  fell  upon  the 
rear  of  Cassibellaun's  army,  upon  which  the  hopes  of  the 
*  Canterbury. 
L 


146  Geoffrey's  British  history.  lmncit. 

battle  entirely  depended.  And  now,  what  with  the  breach 
which  the  Romans  had  made  through  them  jnst  before,  what 
with  the  furious  irruption  of  their  own  countrymen,  they 
were  no  longer  able  to  stand  their  ground,  but  were  obliged 
with  their  broken  forces  to  quit  the  field.  Near  the  place 
stood  a  rocky  mountain,  on  the  top  of  which  was  a  thick 
hazel  wood.  Hither  Cassibellaun  fled  with  his  men  after  he 
found  himself  worsted  ;  and  having  climbed  up  to  the  top  of 
the  mountain,  bravely  defended  himself  and  killed  the 
pursuing  enemy.  For  the  Roman  forces  with  those  of 
Androgeus  pursued  him  to  disperse  his  flying  troops,  and 
climbing  up  the  mountain  after  them  made  many  assaults, 
but  all  to  little  purpose  ;  for  the  rockiness  of  the  mountain 
and  great  height  of  its  top  was  a  defence  to  the  Britons,  and 
the  advantage  of  higher  ground  gave  them  an  opportunity 
of  killing  great  numbers  of  the  enemy.  Cffisar  hereupon 
besieged  the  mountain  that  whole  night,  which  had  now 
overtaken  them,  and  shut  up  all  the  avenues  to  it ;  intending 
to  reduce  the  king  by  famine,  since  he  could  not  do  it  by 
force  of  arms.  Such  was  the  wonderful  valour  of  the 
British  nation  in  those  times,  that  they  were  able  to  put 
the  conqueror  of  the  world  twice  to  flight ;  and  being  ready 
to  die  for  the  defence  of  their  country  and  liberty,  they,  even 
though  defeated,  withstood  him  whom  the  whole  world  could 
not  withstand.     Hence  Lucan  in  their  praise  says  of  CsBsar, 

"  Territa  quaesitis  ostendit  terga  Britannia," 

With  pride  he  sought  the  Britons,  but  when  found, 
Dreaded  their  force,  and  fled  the  hostile  ground. 

Two  days  were  now  passed,  when  Cassibellaun  having 
consumed  all  his  provision,  feared  famine  would  oblige  him 
to  surrender  himself  prisoner  to  Caesar.  For  this  reason  he 
sent  a  message  to  Androgeus  to  make  his  peace  with  Julius, 
lest  the  honour  of  the  nation  might  suffer  ^by  his  being  taken 
prisoner.  He  likewise  represented  to  him,  that  he  did  not 
deserve  to  be  pursued  to  death  for  the  annoyance  which  he 
had  given  him.  As  soon  as  the  messengers  had  told  this  to 
Androgeus,  he  made  answer : — "That  prince  deserves  not 
to  be  loved,  who  in  war  is  mild  as  a  lamb,  but  in  peace  cruel 
«s  a  lion.     Ye  gods  of  heaven  and  earth !    Does  my  lord 


cn-t,  10.3  ATfDKOGEUS'S   SPEECH  TO  CJESAR.  147 

then  condescend  to  entreat  me  now,  whom  before  he  took 
upon  him  to  command  ?  Does  he  desire  to  be  reconciled  and 
make  his  submission  to  Caesar,  of  whom  Caesar  himself  had 
before  desired  peace  ?  He  ought  therefore  to  have  con- 
sidered, that  he  who  was  able  to  drive  so  great  a  commander 
out  of  the  kingdom,  was  able  also  to  bring  him  back  again. 
I  ought  not  to  have  been  so  unjustly  treated,  who  had  then 
done  him  so  much  service,  as  well  as  now  so  much  injury. 
He  must  be  mad  who  either  injures  or  reproaches  his  fellow 
soldiers  by  whom  he  defeats  the  enemy.  The  victory  is  not 
the  commander's,  but  theirs  who  lose  their  blood  in  fighting 
for  him.  However,  I  will  procure  him  peace  if  I  can,  for 
the  injury  which  he  has  done  me  is  sufficiently  revenged 
upon  him,  since  he  sues  for  mercy  to  me." 


Chap.  X. — Androgeus's  speech  to  Casar* 

Andbogeus  after  this  went  to  Caesar,  and  after  a  respectful 
salutation  addressed  him  in  this  manner: — "You  have 
sufficiently  revenged  yourself  upon  Cassibellaun ;  and  now 
let  clemency  take  place  of  vengeance.  What  more  is  there 
to  be  done  than  that  he  make  his  submission  and  pay  tribute 
to  the  Roman  state  ? "  To  this  Caesar  returned  him  no 
answer :  upon  which  Androgeus  said  again ;  "  My  whole 
engagement  with  you,  Caesar,  was  only  to  reduce  Britain 
under  your  power,  by  the  submission  of  Cassibellaun. 
Behold  !  Cassibellaun  is  now  vanquished,  and  Britain  by  my 
assistance  become  subject  to  you.  What  further  service  do 
I  owe  you  ?  God  forbid  that  I  should  suffer  my  sovereign, 
who  sues  to  me  for  peace,  and  makes  me  satisfaction  for  the 
injury  which  he  has  done  me,  to  be  in  prison  or  in  chains. 
It  is  no  easy  matter  to  put  Cassibellaun  to  death  while  I 
have  life ;  and  if  you  do  not  comply  with  my  demand,  I 
shall  not  be  ashamed  to  give  him  my  assistance."  Caesar, 
alarmed  at  these  menaces  of  Androgeus,  was  forced  to 
comply,  and  entered  into  peace  with  Cassibellaun,  on 
condition  that  he  should  pay  a  yearly  tribute  of  three 
thousand  pounds  of  silver.  So  then  Julius  and  Cassibellaun 
from  this  time  became  friends,  and  made  presents  to  each 
other.      After  this,   Caesar  wintered  in  Britain,   and  the 

L  2 


148  Geoffrey's  British  history.  [mosjv. 

following  spring  returned  into  Gaul.*  At  length  he 
assembled  all  his  forces,  and  marched  towards  Some 
against  Pompey. 

Chap.  XI. — Tenuantius  is  made  king  of  Britain  after  CatnbeUaun. 

After  seven  years  had  expired,  Cassibellaun  died  and  was 
buried  at  York.  He  was  succeeded  by  Tenuantius,  duke  of 
Cornwall,  and  brother  of  Androgeus :  for  Androgens  was 
gone  to  Rome  with  Caesar.  Tenuantius  therefore,  now 
wearing  the  crown,  governed  the  kingdom  with  diligence. 
He  was  a  warlike  man,  and  a  strict  observer  of  justice. 
After  him  Kymbelinus  his  son  was  advanced  to  the  throne, 
being  a  great  soldier,  and  brought  up  by  Augustus  Caesar. 
He  had  contracted  so  great  a  friendship  with  the  Romans, 
that  he  freely  paid  them  tribute  when  he  might  have  very 

*  u  Caesar's  expedition  against  the  Britons  was  of  singular  boldness ;  for 
he  was  the  first  who  proceeded  with  a  fleet  to  the  Western  Ocean,  and 
sailed  over  the  Atlantic  Sea,  conducting  an  army  to  war ;  and  being 
desirous  of  possessing  an  island,  for  its  size  hardly  believed  in,  and  giving 
occasion  for  much  controversy  to  various  writers,  as  if  a  name  and  a  tale 
had  been  invented  of  a  place  which  never  had  been  nor  was  yet  in 
existence,  he  advanced  the  dominion  of  the  Romans  beyond  the  limits 
of  the  known  world  ;  and  having  twice  sailed  over  to  the  island  from  the 
opposite  coast  of  Gaul,  and  having  rather  worsted  his  enemies  in  many 
battles,  than  advantaged  his  own  soldiers,  for  there  was  nothing  worth 
taking  from  men  who  had  a  bare  subsistence  and  were  poor,  he  terminated 
the  war  not  in  the  way  he  wished  ;  but  taking  hostages  from  the  king,  and 
appointing  tributes,  he  departed  from  the  island." — Plutarch.  This  is  the 
language  of  a  writer  favourable  to  the  reputation  of  Caesar,  and  may  teach 
us  how  worthless  are  the  old  British  or  rather  Welsh  legends  in  comparison 
with  the  classic  historians. 

But  the  classic  historians  deal  sometimes  in  fables.  Witness  the 
following  quotation  from  Polyaenus  : 

"  Caesar  attempting  to  pass  a  large  river  in  Britain,  Cassnlaulus,  king  of 
the  Britons,  obstructed  him  with  many  horsemen  and  chariots.  Caesar  had 
in  his  train  a  very  large  elephant,  an  animal  hitherto  unseen  by  the  Britons. 
Having  armed  him  with  scales  of  iron,  and  put  a  large  tower  upon  him,  and 
placed  therein  archers  and  slingers,  he  ordered  them  to  enter  the  stres 
The  Britons  were  amazed  at  beholding  a  beast  till  then  unseen,  and  of 
extraordinary  nature.  As  to  the  horses,  what  need  to  write  of  them  !  so 
even  among  the  Greeks,  horses  fly  on  seeing  elephants  even  without  ham 
but  thus  towered  and  armed,  and  casting  darts  and  slinging,  they  oonld 
endure  even  to  look  upon  the  sight.  The  Britons  therefore  fled  with  " 
horses  and  chariots.  Thus  the  Romano  passed  the  river  without 
tton,  having  terrified  the  enemy  by  a  single  animal" 


as.  12, 13.]  BIRTH  OF  CHRIST.  149 

well  refused  it.  In  his  days  was  born  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
by  whose  precious  blood  mankind  was  redeemed  from  the 
devil,  under  whom  they  had  been  before  enslaved. 

Chap.  XII. — Upon  Guiderius's  refuting  to  pay  tribute  to  the  Roman*, 
Claudius  Casar  invades  Britain* 

Kymbelinus,  when  he  had  governed  Britain  ten  years,  begat 
two  sons,  the  elder  named  Guiderius,  the  other  Arviragus. 
After  his  death  the  government  fell  to  Guiderius.  This 
prince  refused  to  pay  tribute  to  the  Romans ;  for  which  reason 
Claudius,  who  was  now  emperor,  marched  against  him.  He 
was  attended  in  this  expedition  by  the  commander  of  his 
army,  who  was  called  in  the  British  tongue,  Leuis  Hamo,  by 
whose  advice  the  following  war  was  to  be  carried  on.  This 
man,  therefore,  arriving  at  the  city  of  Portcestre,  [Portches- 
ter,]  began  to  block  up  the  gates  with  a  wall,  and  denied  the 
citizens  all  liberty  of  passing  out.  For  his  design  was  either 
to  reduce  them  to  subjection  by  famine,  or  kill  them  without 
mercy. 

Chap.  XIII. — Leuis  Hamo,  a  Roman,  by  wicked  treachery  kills  Guiderius, 

Gtuxdertus,  upon  the  news  of  Claudius's  coming,  assembled 
all  the  soldiery  of  the  kingdom,  and  went  to  meet  the  Roman 
army.  In  the  battle  that  ensued,  he  began  the  assault  with 
great  eagerness,  and  did  more  execution  with  his  own  sword 
than  the  greater  part  of  his  army.  Claudius  was  now  on 
the  point  of  retreating  to  his  ships,  and  the  Romans  very 
nearly  routed,  when  the  crafty  Hamo,  throwing  aside  his  own 
armour,  put  on  that  of  the  Britons,  and  as  a  Briton  fought 
against  his  own  men.  Then  he  exhorted  the  Britons  to  a 
vigorous  assault,  promising  them  a  speedy  victory.  For  he 
had  learned  their  language  and  manners,  having  been  edu- 
cated among  the  British  hostages  at  Rome.  By  these  means 
he  approached  by  little  and  little  to  the  king,  and  seizing  a 
favourable  opportunity,  stabbed  him  while  under  no  appre- 
hension of  danger,  and  then  escaped  through  the  enemy's 
ranks  to  return  to  his  men  with  the  news  of  his  detestable 
exploit.  But  Arviragus,  his  brother,  seeing  him  killed, 
forthwith  put  off  his  own  and  put  on  his  brother's  habiliments, 
and,  as  if  he  had  been  Guiderius  himself,  encouraged  the 
Britons  to  stand  their  ground.     Accordingly,  as  they  knew 


150  Geoffrey's  British  history.  taomir. 

nothing  of  the  king's  disaster,  they  made  a  vigorous  resist- 
ance, fought  courageously,  and  killed  no  small  number  of  the 
enemy.  At  last  the  Romans  gave  ground,  and  dividing 
themselves  into  two  bodies,  basely  quitted  the  field.  Caesar 
with  one  part,  to  secure  himself,  retired  to  his  ships  ;  but 
Hamo  fled  to  the  woods,  because  he  had  not  time  to  get 
to  the  ships.  Arviragus,  therefore,  thinking  that  Claudius 
fled  along  with  him,  pursued  him  with  all  speed,  and  did  not 
leave  off  harassing  him  from  place  to  place,  till  he  overtook 
him  upon  a  part  of  the  sea-coast,  which,  from  the  name  of 
Hamo,  is  now  called  Southampton.  There  was  at  the  same 
place  a  convenient  haven  for  ships,  and  some  merchant-ships 
at  anchor.  And  just  as  Hamo  was  attempting  to  get  on 
board  them,  Arviragus  came  upon  him  unawares,  and  forth- 
with killed  him.  And  ever  since  that  time  the  haven  has 
been  called  Hamo's  port. 

Chap.  XIV. — Arviragus,  king  of  Britain,  makes  his  submission  to  Clau- 
dius, who  with  his  assistance  conquers  the  Orkney  islands. 

Is  the  meantime,  Claudius,  with  his  remaining  forces, 
assaulted  the  city  above  mentioned,  which  was  then  called 
Kaerperis,  now  Portcestre,  and  presently  levelled  the  walls, 
and  having  reduced  the  citizens  to  subjection,  went  after 
Arviragus,  who  had  entered  Winchester.  Afterwards  he 
besieged  that  city,  and  employed  a  variety  of  engines  against 
it.  Arviragus,  seeing  himself  in  these  straits,  called  his 
troops  together,  and  opened  the  gates,  to  march  out  and  give 
him  battle.  But  just  as  he  was  ready  to  begin  the  attack, 
Claudius,  who  feared  the  boldness  of  the  king,  and  the 
bravery  of  the  Britons,  sent  a  message  to  him  with  a  propo- 
sal of  peace  ;  choosing  rather  to  reduce  them  by  wisdom  and 
policy,  than  run  the  hazard  of  a  battle.  To  this  purpose  he 
offered  a  reconciliation  with  him,  and  promised  to  give  him 
his  daughter,  if  he  would  only  acknowledge  the  kingdom  of 
Britain  subject  to  the  Roman  state.  The  nobility  hereupon 
persuaded  him  to  lay  aside  thoughts  of  war,  and  be  content 
with  Claudius's  promise ;  representing  to  him  at  the  same  time, 
that  it  was  no  disgrace  to  be  subject  to  the  Romans,  who  en- 
joyed the  empire  of  the  whole  world.  By  these  and  many 
other  arguments  he  was  prevailed  upon  to  hearken  to  thor 
advice,  and  make  his  submission  to  Caesar.     After  which 


in.  15.]  ORKNEY   ISLANDS.  151 

Claudius  sent  to  Rome  for  his  daughter,  and  then,  with  the 
assistance  of  Arviragus,  reduced  the  Orkney  and  the  provin- 
cial islands  to  his  power.* 

Chap.  XV. — Claudius  gives  his  daughter  Genuissafor  a  wife  to  Arvira* 
gus9  and  returns  to  Rome. 

As  soon  as  the  winter  was  over,  those  that  were  sent  for 
Claudius's  daughter  returned  with  her,  and  presented  her  to 
her  father.  The  damsel's  name  was  Genuissa,  and  so  great 
was  her  beauty,  that  it  raised  the  admiration  of  all  that  saw 
her.  After  her  marriage  with  the  king,  she  gained  so  great 
an  ascendant  over  his  affections,  that  he  in  a  manner  valued 
nothing  but  her  alone :  insomuch  that  he  was  desirous  to 
have  the  place  honoured  where  the  nuptials  were  solemnized, 
and  moved  Claudius  to  build  a  city  upon  it,  for  a  monument 

*  Claudius  never  was  in  Orkney;  he  spent  only  sixteen  days  altogether 
in  Britain.  Of  certain  sacred  isles  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Britain,  Plu- 
tarch gives  the  following  account,  showing  how  little  the  Greeks  knew  of 
Britain  eighty  years  after  the  reign  of  Claudius  : 

"  A  short  time  before  Callistratus  celebrated  the  Pythian  games,  two  holy 
men  from  the  opposite  parts  of  the  habitable  earth  came  to  us  at  Delphos, 
Demetrius  the  grammarian  from  Britain,  returning  home  to  Tarsus,  and 
Cleombrotus  the  Lacedaemonian. ....  But  Demetrius  said,  that  there  are 
many  desert  islands  scattered  around  Britain,  some  of  which  have  the  name 
of  being  the  islands  of  genii  and  heroes  :  that  he  had  been  sent  by  the 
emperor,  for  the  sake  of  describing  and  viewing  them,  to  that  which  lay 
nearest  to  the  desert  isles,  and  which  had  but  few  inhabitants  ;  all  of  whom 
were  esteemed  by  the  Britons  sacred  and  inviolable.  Very  soon  after  his 
arrival  there  was  great  turbulence  in  the  air,  and  many  portentous  storms  ; 
the  winds  became  tempestuous,  and  fiery  whirlwinds  rushed  forth.  When 
these  ceased,  the  islanders  said  that  the  departure  of  some  one  of  the 
superior  genii  had  taken  place.  For  as  a  light  when  burning,  say  they,  has 
nothing  disagreeable,  but  when  extinguished  is  offensive  to  many  ;  so  like- 
wise lofty  spirits  afford  an  illumination  benignant  and  mild,  but  their  ex- 
tinction and  destruction  frequently,  as  at  the  present  moment,  excite  winds 
and  storms,  and  often  infect  the  atmosphere  with  pestilential  evils.  More- 
over, that  there  was  one  island  there,  wherein  Saturn  was  confined  by 
Briareus  in  sleep  :  for  that  sleep  had  been  devised  for  his  bonds  ;  and  that 
around  him  were  many  genii  as  his  companions  and  attendants. 

u  Asclepiades  asserts,  that  after  their  thirtieth  year  the  Ethiopians,  being 
scorched  by  the  sun,  quickly  grow  old,  in  consequence  of  their  bodies  being 
overheated  ;  whereas  in  Britain  they  advance  to  an  hundred  and  twenty 
years,  in  consequence  of  the  coldness  of  the  place  and  their  retaining 
within  themselves  the  vital  heat :  for  the  bodies  of  the  Ethiopians  are  more 
slender  from  their  being  relaxed  by  the  sun,  whereas  the  inhabitants  of  the 
north  are  thick  set  in  their  persons,  and  on  this  account  longer  lived." 


152  GEOFFREY  S  BRITISH  HISTORY.  [book  m 

to  posterity  of  so  great  and  happy  a  marriage.  Claudius 
consented  to  it,  and  commanded  a  city  to  be  built,  which  after 
his  name  is  called  Kaerglou,  that  is  Gloucester,  to  this  day, 
and  is  situated  on  the  confines  of  Dimetia  and  Loegria,  upon 
the  banks  of  the  Severn.  But  some  say  that  it  derived  its 
name  from  Duke  Gloius,  a  son  that  was  born  to  Claudius 
there,  and  to  whom,  after  the  death  of  Arviragus,  fell  the 
dukedom  of  Dimetia.  The  city  being  finished,  and  the  island 
now  enjoying  peace,  Claudius  returned  to  Rome,  leaving  to 
Arviragus  the  government  of  the  British  islands.  At  the 
same  time  the  apostle  Peter  founded  the  Church  of  Antioch ; 
and  afterwards  coming  to  Rome,  was  bishop  there,  and  sent 
Mark,  the  evangelist,  into  Egypt  to  preach  the  gospel  which 
he  had  written. 

Chap.  XVI. — Arviragus  revolting  from  the  Romans,  Vespasian  is  sent 
into  Britain, 

After  the  departure  of  Claudius,  Arviragus  began  to  show 
his  wisdom  and  courage,  to  rebuild  cities  and  towns,  and  to 
exercise  so  great  authority  over  his  own  people,  that  he  be- 
came a  terror  to  the  kings  of  remote  countries.  But  this  so 
elevated  him  with  pride  that  he  despised  the  Roman  power, 
disdained  any  longer  subjection  to  the  senate,  and  assumed 
to  himself  the  sole  authority  in  every  thing.  Upon  this  news 
Vespasian  was  sent  by  Claudius  to  procure  a  reconciliation 
with  Arviragus,  or  to  reduce  him  to  the  subjection  of  the 
Romans.  When,  therefore,  Vespasian  arrived  at  the  haven 
of  Rutupi,*  Arviragus  met  him,  and  prevented  his  entering 
the  port.  For  he  brought  so  great  an  army  along  with  him, 
that  the  Romans,  for  fear  of  his  falling  upon  them,  durst  not 
come  ashore.  Vespasian  upon  this  withdrew  from  that  port, 
and  shifting  his  sails  arrived  at  the  shore  of  Totness.  As 
soon  as  he  was  landed,  he  marched  directly  to  besiege  Kaer- 
penhuelgoit,  now  Exeter;  and  after  lying  before  it  seven 
days,  was  overtaken  by  Arviragus  and  his  army,  who  gave 
him  battle.  That  day  great  destruction  was  made  in  both 
armies,  but  neither  got  the  victory.  The  next  morning,  by 
the  mediation  of  queen  Genuissa,  the  two  leaders  were  made 
friends,  and  sent  their  men  over  to  Ireland.  As  soon  as 
winter  was  over,  Vespasian  returned  to  Rome,  but  Arvi- 
*  Richborough. 


cii.170  MABIUS  OONQUKRS  BODBIC.  158 

ragus  continued  still  in  Britain.  Afterwards,  when  he  grew 
old,  he  began  to  show  much  respect  to  the  senate,  and  to 
govern  his  kingdom  in  peace  and  tranquillity.  He  confirmed 
the  old  laws  of  his  ancestors,  and  enacted  some  new  ones, 
and  made  very  ample  presents  to  all  persons  of  merit.  So 
that  his  fame  spread  over  all  Europe,  and  he  was  both  loved 
and  feared  by  the  Romans,  and  became  the  subject  of  their 
discourse  more  than  any  king  in  his  time.  Hence  Juvenal 
relates  how  a  certain  blind  man,  speaking  of  a  turbot  that 
was  taken,  said  : — 

u  Regem  aliquem  capies,  aut  de  temone  Britanno 
Decidet  Arviragus."* 

Arviragus  shall  from  his  chariot  fall, 

Or  thee  his  lord  some  captive  king  shall  call. 

In  war  none  was  more  fierce  than  he,  in  peace  none  more 
mild,  none  more  pleasing,  or  in  his  presents  more  magnificent. 
When  he  had  finished  his  course  of  life,  he  was  buried  at 
Gloucester,  in  a  certain  temple  which  he  had  built  and 
dedicated  to  the  honour  of  Claudius,  f 


Chap.  XVII. — Rodric,  leader  of  the  Pkts,  is  vanquished  by  Marius. 

His  son  Marius,  a  man  of  admirable  prudence  and  wisdom, 
succeeded  him  in  the  kingdom.  In  his  reign  a  certain  king 
of  the  Picts,  named  Rodric,  came  from  Scythia  with  a  great 
fleet,  and  arrived  in  the  north  part  of  Britain,  which  is  called 
Albania,  and  began  to  ravage  that  country.  Marius  there- 
fore raising  an  army  went  in  quest  of  him,  and  killed  him  in 
battle,  and  gained  the  victory  ;  for  a  monument  of  which  he 
set  up  a  stone  in  the  province,  which  from  his  name  was 
afterwards  called  Westmoreland,  where  there  is  an  inscription 
retaining  his  memory  to  this  day.  He  gave  the  conquered 
people  that  came  with  Rodric  liberty  to  inhabit  that  part 
of  Albania  which  is  called  Caithness,  that  had  been  a  long 
time  desert  and  uncultivated.     And  as  they  had  no  wives, 

•  Juven.  Sat.  iv.  26. 

t  Although  this  narrative  of  the  reign  of  Arviragus  is  purely  imagina- 
tive, yet  it  is  not  impossible  that  Gloucester  may  have  been  a  station 
founded  by  Claudius,  and  hence  called  Claudii  Castrum,  or  Caer  Glau. 


154  Geoffrey's  British  history.  [book  it. 

they  desired  to  have  the  daughters  and  kinswomen  of  the 
Britons.  But  the  Britons  refused,  disdaining  to  unite  with 
such  a  people.  Having  suffered  a  repulse  here,  they  sailed 
over  into  Ireland,  and  married  the  women  of  that  country, 
and  by  their  offspring  increased  their  number.  But  let  thus 
much  suffice  concerning  them,  since  I  do  not  propose  to  write 
the  history  of  this  people,  or  of  the  Scots,  who  derived  their 
original  from  them  and  the  Irish.  Marius,  after  he  had 
settled  the  island  in  perfect  peace,  began  to  love  the  Roman 
people,  paying  the  tribute  that  was  demanded  of  him ;  and 
in  imitation  of  his  father's  example  practised  justice,  law, 
peace,  and  every  thing  that  was  honourable  in  his  kingdom. 

Chap.  XVIII. — Marius  dying,  is  succeeded  by  OoiUut. 

As  soon  as  he  had  ended  his  days,  his  son  Coillus  took  upon 
him  the  government  of  the  kingdom.  He  had  been  brought 
up  from  his  infancy  at  Rome,  and  having  been  taught  the 
Roman  manners,  had  contracted  a  most  strict  amity  with 
them.  He  likewise  paid  them  tribute,  and  declined  making 
them  any  opposition,  because  he  saw  the  whole  world  subject 
to  them,  and  that  no  town  or  country  was  out  of  the  limits 
of  their  power.  By  paying  therefore  what  was  required 
of  him,  he  enjoyed  his  kingdom  in  peace  :  and  no  king  ever 
showed  greater  respect  to  his  nobility,  not  only  permitting 
them  to  enjoy  their  own  with  quiet,  but  also  binding  them  to 
him  by  his  continual  bounty  and  munificence. 

Chap.  XIX. — Lucius  is  the  first  British  king  that  embraces  the  Christian 
faith,  together  with  his  people. 

Coillus  had  but  one  son,  named  Lucius,  who,  obtaining  the 
crown  after  his  father's  decease,  imitated  all  his  acts  of  good- 
ness, and  seemed  to  his  people  to  be  no  other  than  Coillus 
himself  revived.  As  he  had  made  so  good  a  beginning,  he 
was  willing  to  make  a  better  end  :  for  which  purpose  he  sent 
letters  to  pope  Eleutherius,  desiring  to  be  instructed  by  him 
in  the  Christian  religion.  For  the  miracles  which  Christ's 
disciples  performed  in  several  nations  wrought  a  conviction 
in  his  mind  ;  so  that  being  inflamed  with  an  ardent  love  of 
the  true  faith,  he  obtained  the  accomplishment  of  his  pious 
request.     For  that  holy  pope,  upon  receipt  of  this  devout 


oi.  19,20.]  LUCIUS  EMBRACES   CHRISTIANITY.  155 

petition,  sent  to  him  two  most  religious  doctors,  Faganus 
and  Duvanus,  who,  after  they  had  preached  concerning  the 
incarnation  of  the  Word  of  God,  administered  baptism  to 
him,  and  made  him  a  proselyte  to  the  Christian  faith. 
Immediately  upon  this,  people  from  all  countries,  assembling 
together,  followed  the  king's  example,  and  being  washed  in 
the  same  holy  laver,  were  made  partakers  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.  The  holy  doctors,  after  they  had  almost  extinguished 
paganism  over  the  whole  island,  dedicated  the  temples,  that 
had  been  founded  in  honour  of  many  gods,  to  the  one  only 
God  and  his  saints,  and  filled  them  with  congregations 
of  Christians.  There  were  then  in  Britain  eight  and  twenty 
flam  ens,  as  also  three  archflamens,  to  whose  jurisdiction  the 
other  judges  and  enthusiasts  were  subject.  These  also, 
according  to  the  apostolic  command,  they  delivered  from 
idolatry,  and  where  they  were  flamens  made  them  bishops, 
where  archflamens,  archbishops.  The  seats  of  the  arch- 
flamens were  at  the  three  noblest  cities,  viz.  London,*  York, 
and  the  City  of  Legions,  which  its  old  walls  and  buildings 
show  to  have  been  situated  upon  the  river  Uske  in  Glamor- 
ganshire. To  these  three,  now  purified  from  superstition, 
were  made  subject  twenty-eight  bishops,  with  their  dioceses. 
To  the  metropolitan  of  York  were  subject  Deira  and  Albania, 
which  the  great  river  Humber  divides  from  Loegria.  To  the 
metropolitan  of  London  were  subject  Loegria  and  Cornwall. 
These  two  provinces  the  Severn  divides  from  Kambria  or 
Wales,  which  was  subject  to  the  City  of  Legions. 

Chap.  XX. — Faganus  and  Duvanus  give  an  account  at  Rome,  of  what 
they  had  done  in  Britain. 

At  last,  when  they  had  made  an  entire  reformation  here,  the 
two  prelates  returned  to  Rome,  and  desired  the  pope  to 
confirm  what  they  had  done.  As  soon  as  they  had  obtained 
a  confirmation,  they  returned  again  to  Britain,  accompanied 
with  many  others,  by  whose  doctrine  the  British  nation  was 
in  a  short  time  strengthened  in  the  faith.  Their  names  and 
acts  are  recorded  in  a  book  which  Gildas  wrote  concerning 

*  This  fabulous  story  of  the  flamens  and  archflamens,  and  of  the  sub- 
stitution of  bishops  and  archbishops  in  their  places,  led,  in  later  years,  to 
serious  disputes  between  the  bishops  of  Canterbury,  York,  and  London. 


156  GEOFFREY  OF  MONMOUTH.  [bookt.olI. 

the  victory  of  Aurelius  Ambrosius  ;  and  what  is  delivered 
in  so  bright  a  treatise,  needs  not  to  be  repeated  here  in  a 
meaner  style.* 


BOOK  V. 

Chap.  I. — Lucius  dies  without  issue,  and  is  a  benefactor  to  the  church**. 

In  the  meantime,  the  glorious  king  Lucius  highly  rejoiced ' 
at  the  great  progress  which  the  true  faith  and  worship  had 
made  in  his  kingdom,  and  permitted  the  possessions  and 
territories  which  formerly  belonged  to  the  temples  of  the 
gods,  to  be  converted  to  a  better  use,  and  appropriated  to 
Christian  churches.  And  because  a  greater  honour  was  due 
to  them  than  to  the  others,  he  made  large  additions  of  lands 
and  manor-houses,  and  all  kinds  of  privileges  to  them. 
Amidst  these  and  other  acts  of  his  great  piety,  he  departed 
this  life  in  the  city  of  Gloucester,  and  was  honourably  buried 
in  the  cathedral  church,  in  the  hundred  and  fifty-sixth  year 
after  our  Lord's  incarnation.  He  had  no  issue  to  succeed 
him,  so  that  after  his  decease  there  arose  a  dissension 
among  the  Britons,  and  the  Roman  power  was  much 
weakened. 

Chap.  II. — Sever  us,  a  senator,  subdues  part  of  Britain  :  his  war  with 
Fulgenius. 

When  this  news  was  brought  to  Rome,  the  senate  despatched 
Severus,  a  senator,  with  two  legions,  to  reduce  the  country 
to  subjection.  As  soon  as  he  was  arrived,  he  came  to  a 
battle  with  the  Britons,  part  of  whom  he  obliged  to  submit 
to  him,  and  the  other  part  which  he  could  not  subdue  he 
endeavoured  to  distress  in  several  cruel  engagements,  and 
forced  them  to  fly  beyond  Deira  into  Albania.  Notwithstand- 
ing which  they  opposed  him  with  all  their  might  under  the 

*  This  treatise  has  not  been  preserved,  and  most  probably  never  wis 
written.  The  only  information  which  has  come  down  to  us  about  king 
Lucius,  at  all  likely  to  be  of  an  authentic  character,  is  a  brief  notice  <  **  * 
in  Bede's  Ecclesiastical  History,  p.  10. 


A.D.207.J  DEATH  OF   SEVERUS.  157 

conduct  of  Fulgenius,  and  often  made  great  slaughter  both 
of  their  own  countrymen  and  of  the  Romans.  For  Fulgenius, 
brought  to  his  assistance  all  the  people  of  the  islands  that  he 
could  find,  and  so  frequently  gained  the  victory.  The  empe- 
ror, not  being  able  to  resist  the  irruptions  which  he  made, 
commanded  a  wall  to  be  built  between  Deira  and  Albania,  to 
hinder  his  excursions  upon  them  ;  they  accordingly  made 
one  at  the  common  charge  from  sea  to  sea,  which  for  a  long 
time  hindered  the  approach  of  the  enemy.  But  Fulgenius, 
when  he  was  unable  to  make  any  longer  resistance,  made  a 
voyage  into  Scythia,  to  desire  the  assistance  of  the  Picts 
towards  his  restoration.  And  when  he  had  got  together  all 
the  forces  of  that  country,  he  returned  with  a  great  fleet  into 
Britain,  and  besieged  York.  Upon  this  news  being  spread 
through  the  country,  the  greatest  part  of  the  Britons  deserted 
Severus,  and  went  over  to  Fulgenius.  However  this  did  not 
make  Severus  desist  from  his  enterprise  :  but  calling  together 
the  Romans,  and  the  rest  of  the  Britons  that  adhered  to  him, 
he  marched  to  the  siege,  and  fought  with  Fulgenius  ;  but  the 
engagement  proving  very  sharp,  he  was  killed  with  many  of 
his  followers  :  Fulgenius  also  was  mortally  wounded.  After- 
wards Severus  was  buried  at  York,  which  city  was  taken  by 
his  legions.*     He  left  two  sons,  Bassianus  and  Geta,  whereof 

*  The  following  is  an  extract  from  the  true  account  of  the  expedition  of 
Severus  into  Britain  taken  from  Herod  ian  : 

u  [Severus]  received  letters  from  the  praefect  of  Britain  relating  that  the 
barbarians  there  were  in  a  state  of  insurrection,  overrunning  the  country, 
driving  off  booty,  and  laying  every  thing  waste  ;  so  that  for  the  defence  of 
the  island  there  was  need  either  of  greater  force,  or  of  the  presence  of  the 
emperor  himself.  Severus  heard  this  with  pleasure,  by  nature  a  lover  of 
glory,  and  anxious,  after  his  victories  in  the  east  and  north  and  his  conse- 
quent titles,  to  obtain  a  trophy  from  the  Britons  :  moreover,  willing  to 
withdraw  his  sons  from  Rome,  that  they  might  grow  up  in  the  discipline  and 
sobriety  of  a  military  life,  far  removed  from  the  blandishments  and  luxury 
prevalent  in  Rome,  he  orders  an  expedition  against  Britain,  although  now  old 
and  labouring  under  an  arthritic  affection  ;  but  as  to  his  mind,  he  was  vigo- 
rous beyond  any  youth.  For  the  most  part  he  performed  the  march  carried 
in  a  litter,  nor  did  he  ever  continue  long  in  one  place.  Having  completed 
the  journey  with  his  sons,  and  crossed  over  the  sea  more  quickly  than  could 
be  described  or  expected,  he  advanced  against  the  Britons,  and  having 
drawn  together  his  soldiers  from  all  sides,  and  concentrated  a  vast  force,  he 
prepared  for  the  war. 

"  The  Britons,  much  struck  with  the  sudden  arrival  of  the  emperor,  and 
learning  that  such  a  mighty  force  was  collected  against  them,  sent  ambas- 


1 58  Geoffrey's  British  history.        (.boo*  t.  ch.  s. 

Geta  had  a  Roman  for  his  mother,  but  Bassianus*  a  Briton. 
Therefore  upon  the  death  of  their  father  the  Romans  made 
Geta  king,  favouring  him  on  account  of  his  being  a  Roman 
by  both  his  parents  :  but  the  Britons  rejected  him,  and 
advanced  Bassianus,  as  being  their  countryman  by  his 
mother's  side.  This  proved  the  occasion  of  a  battle  between 
the  two  brothers,  in  which  Geta  was  killed  ;  and  so  Bassi- 
anus obtained  the  sovereignty. 

Chap.  III.— Carausius  advanced  to  be  king  of  Britain* 

At  that  time  there  was  in  Britain  one  Carausius,  a  young 
man  of  mean  birth,  who,  having  given  proof  of  his  bravery 

sadors,  sued  for  peace,  and  were  willing  to  excuse  their  past  tranflgrenkms. 
But  Severus,  purposely  seeking  delay  that  he  might  not  again  return  to 
Rome  without  his  object,  and,  moreover,  desirous  to  obtain  from  Britain 
a  victory  and  a  title,  sent  away  their  ambassadors  without  «ffi**frg 
their  purpose,  and  prepared  all  things  for  the  contest.  He  more  espe- 
cially endeavoured  to  render  the  marshy  places  stable  by  means  of 
causeways,  that  his  soldiers,  treading  with  safety,  might  easily  pass  them, 
and,  having  firm  footing,  fight  to  advantage.  For  many  parts  of  the  British 
country,  being  constantly  flooded  by  the  tides  of  the  ocean,  become  marshy. 
In  these  the  natives  are  accustomed  to  swim  and  traverse  about  being  im- 
mersed as  high  as  their  waists  :  for  going  naked  as  to  the  greater  part  of 
their  bodies,  they  contemn  the  mud.  Indeed  they  know  not  the  use  of 
clothing,  but  encircle  their  loins  and  necks  with  iron ;  deeming  this  an 
ornament  and  an  evidence  of  opulence,  in  like  manner  as  other  barbarians 
esteem  gold.  But  they  puncture  their  bodies  with  pictured  forms  of  every 
sort  of  animals  ;  on  which  account  they  wear  no  clothing,  lest  they  should 
hide  the  figures  on  their  body.  They  are  a  most  warlike  and  sanguinary 
race,  carrying  only  a  small  shield  and  a  spear,  and  a  sword  girded  to  their 
naked  bodies.  Of  a  breast-plate  or  an  helmet  they  know  not  the  use, 
esteeming  them  an  impediment  to  their  progress  through  the  marshes ; 
from  the  vapours  and  exhalations  of  which  the  atmosphere  in  that  country 
always  appears  dense. 

"Against  such  things,  therefore,  Severus  prepared  whatever  could  be 
serviceable  to  the  Roman  army,  but  hurtful  and  detrimental  to  the  designs 
of  the  barbarians.  And  when  every  thing  appeared  to  him  sufficiently 
arranged  for  the  war,  leaving  his  younger  son,  named  Greta,  in  that  part  of 
the  island  which  was  subjugated  to  the  Romans,  for  the  purpose  of  adminis- 
tering justice  and  directing  other  civil  matters  of  the  government,  giving  him 
as  assessors  the  more  aged  of  his  friends ;  and  taking  Antoninus  with  him- 
self, he  led  the  way  against  the  barbarians.  His  army  having  passed  be- 
yond the  rivers  and  fortresses  which  defended  the  Roman  territory,  them 
were  frequent  attacks  and  skirmishes  and  retreats  on  the  side  of  the  barba- 
rians. To  these,  indeed,  flight  was  an  easy  matter,  and  they  lay  hidden 
in  the  thickets  and  marshes  through  their  local  knowledge  ;  all  which  thingi 
being  adverse  to  the  Romans,  served  to  protract  the  war." 
*  Otherwise  called  Caracalla. 


a.d.293.]  CABA.USIUS,   KING  OF   BRITAIN.  159 

in  many  engagements,  went  to  Rome,  and  solicited  the 
senate  for  leave  to  defend  with  a  fleet  the  maritime  coasts  of 
Britain,  from  the  incursions  of  barbarians ;  which  if  they 
would  grant  him,  he  promised  to  do  more  for  the  honour  and 
service  of  the  commonwealth,  than  by  delivering  up  to  them 
the  kingdom  of  Britain.  The  senate,  deluded  by  his  specious 
promises,  granted  him  his  request,  and  so,  with  his  commis- 
sion sealed,  he  returned  to  Britain.  Then  by  wicked  prac- 
tices getting  a  fleet  together,  he  enlisted  into  his  service  a 
body  of  the  bravest  youths,  and  putting  out  to  sea,  sailed 
round  the  whole  kingdom,  causing  very  great  disturbance 
among  the  people.  In  the  meantime  he  invaded  the  adjacent 
islands,  where  he  destroyed  all  before  him,  countries,  cities, 
and  towns,  and  plundered  the  inhabitants  of  all  they  had. 
By  this  conduct  he  encouraged  all  manner  of  dissolute  fellows 
to  flock  to  him  in  hope  of  plunder,  and  in  a  very  short  time 
was  attended  by  an  army  which  no  neighbouring  prince  was 
able  to  oppose.  This  made  him  begin  to  swell  with  pride, 
and  to  propose  to  the  Britons,  that  they  should  make  him 
their  king  ;  for  which  consideration  he  promised  to  kill  and 
banish  the  Romans,  and  free  the  whole  island  from  the  inva- 
sions of  barbarous  nations.  Accordingly  obtaining  his  re- 
quest, he  fell  upon  Bassianus  and  killed  him,  and  then  took 
upon  him  the  government  of  the  kingdom.  For  Bassianus 
was  betrayed  by  the  Picts,  whom  Fulgenius  his  mother's 
brother  had  brought  with  him  into  Britain,  and  who  being 
corrupted  by  the  promises  and  presents  of  Carausius,  instead 
of  assisting  Bassianus,  deserted  him  in  the  very  battle,  and 
fell  upon  his  men  ;  so  that  the  rest  were  put  into  a  consterna- 
tion, and  not  knowing  their  friends  from  their  foes,  quickly 
gave  ground,  and  left  the  victory  to  Carausius.  Then  he,  to 
reward  the  Picts  for  this  success,  gave  them  a  habitation 
in  Albania,  where  they  continued  afterwards  mixed  with 
the  Britons. 

Chap.  IV. — Allectus  kills  Carausius,  but  is  afterwards  himself  slain  in 
flight  by  Asclepiodotus, 

When  the  news  of  these  proceedings  of  Carausius  arrived 
at   Rome,   the  senate   commissioned*  Allectus,   with  three 

•  Roman  history  must  have  been  very  little  known  in  England,  when 
such  a  statement  as  this  could  be  put  forth  as  true.    Eutropius  [ix.  2*2] 


160  GBOFFEEt's  BRITISH  HISTORY.  Lwxwc  t.  ch.  4. 

legions,  to  kill  the  tyrant,  and  restore  the  kingdom  of  Britain 
to  the  Roman  power.  No  sooner  was  he  arrived,  than  he 
fought  with  Carausius,  killed  him,  and  took  upon  himself  the 
government.  After  which  he  miserably  oppressed  the 
Britons,  for  having  deserted  the  commonwealth,  and  adhered 
to  Carausius.  But  the  Britons,  not  enduring  this,  advanced 
Asclepiodotus,  duke  of  Cornwall,  to  be  their  king,  and  then 
unanimously  marched  against  Allectus,  and  challenged  him 
to  battle.  He  was  then  at  London,  celebrating  a  feast  to  his 
tutelary  gods  ;  but  being  informed  of  the  coming  of  Ascle- 
piodotus, he  quitted  the  sacrifice,  and  went  out  with  all  his 
forces  to  meet  him,  and  engaged  with  him  in  a  sharp  fight 
But  Asclepiodotus  had  the  advantage,  and  dispersed  and  put 
to  flight  AUectus's  troops,  and  in  the  pursuit  killed  many 
thousands,  as  also  king  Allectus  himself.  After  this  victory, 
Livius  Gallus,  the  colleague  of  Allectus,  assembled  the  rest 
of  the  Romans,  shut  the  gates  of  the  city,  and  placed  his  men 
in  the  towers  and  other  fortifications,  thinking  by  these 
means  either  to  make  a  stand  against  Asclepiodotus,  or  at 
least  to  avoid  imminent  death.  But  Asclepiodotus  seeing 
this  laid  siege  to  the  city,  and  sent  word  to  all  the  dukes  of 
Britain,  that  he  had  killed  Allectus  with  a  great  number  of 
his  men,  and  was  besieging  Gallus  and  the  rest  of  the  Romans 
in  London  ;  and  therefore  earnestly  entreated  them  to  hasten 
to  his  assistance,  representing  to  them  withal,  how  easy  it 
was  to  extirpate  the  whole  race  of  the  Romans  out  of  Britain, 
provided  they  would  all  join  their  forces  against  the  besieged. 
At  this  summons  came  the  Dimetians,  Venedotians,  Deirans, 
Albanians,  and  all  others  of  the  British  race.  And  as  soon 
as  they  appeared  before  the  duke,  he  commanded  vast  num- 
bers of  engines  to  be  made,  to  beat  down  the  walls  of  the 
city.  Accordingly  every  one  readily  executed  his  orders 
with  great  bravery,  and  made  a  violent  assault  upon  the  city, 
the  walls  of  which  were  in  a  very  short  time  battered  down, 
and  a  passage  made  into  it.  After  these  preparations*  they 
began  a  bloody  assault  upon  the  Romans,  who,  seeing  their 
fellow  soldiers  falling  before  them  without  intermission,  per- 
suaded Gallus  to  offer  a  surrender  on  the  terms  of  having 
quarter  granted  them,  and  leave  to  depart :  for  they  were 

says  "  Carausius,  after  seven  years,  was  murdered  by  his  companion  Allec- 
tus, who  after  him  held  the  government  three  years  longer." 


a.d.303.]  DIOCLETIAN  PERSECUTION.  lfel 

now  all  killed  except  one  legion,  which  still  held  out.  Gallus 
consented  to  the  proposal,  and  accordingly  surrendered  him- 
self and  his  men  to  Asclepiodotus,  who  Was  disposed  to  give 
them  quarter  ;  but  he  was  prevented  by  a  body  of  Venedo- 
tians,  who  rushed  upon  them,  and  the  same  day  cut  off  all 
their  heads  upon  a  brook  within  the  city,  which  from  the 
name  of  the  commander  was  afterwards  called  in  the  British 
tongue  Nautgallim,  and  in  the  Saxon  Gallembourne. 

Chap.  V. — Asclepiodotus  obtains  the  crown.    Diocletian's  massacre  of  the 
Christians  in  Britain. 

The  Romans  being  thus  defeated,  Asclepiodotus,*  with  ihe 
consent  of  the  people,  placed  the  crown  upon  his  own  head, 
and  governed  the  country  in  justice  and  peace  ten  years,  and 
curbed  the  insolence  and  outrages  committed  by  plunderers 
and  robbers.  In  his  days  began  the  persecution  of  the  empe- 
ror Diocletian  ;  and  Christianity,  which  from  the  time  of 
king  Lucius  had  continued  fixed  and  undisturbed,  was  almost 
abolished  over  the  Whole  island.  This  was  principally  owing 
to  Maximianus  Herculius,  general  of  that  tyrant's  army,  by 
whose  command  all  the  churches  were  pulled  down,  and  all 
the  copies  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  that  could  be  found, 
were  burned  in  the  public  markets.  The  priests  also,  with 
the  believers  under  their  care,  were  put  to  death,  and  with 
emulation  pressed  in  crowds  together  for  a  speedy  passage  to 
the  joys  of  heaven,  as  their  proper  dwelling  place.  God 
therefore  magnified  his  goodness  to  us,  forasmuch  as  he  did, 
in  that  time  of  persecution,  of  his  mere  grace,  light  up  the 
bright  lamps  of  the  holy  martyrs,  to  prevent  the  spreading  of 
gross  darkness  over  the  people  of  Britain  ;  whose  sepulchres 
and  places  of  suffering  might  have  been  a  means  of  inflaming 
our  minds  with  the  greatest  fervency  of  divine  love,  had  not 
the  deplorable  impiety  of  barbarians  deprived  us  of  them. 
Among  others  of  both  sexes  who  continued  firm  in  the  army 
of  Christ,  and  suffered,  were  Alban  of  Verulam,  and  Julius 
and  Aaron,  both  of  the  City  of  Legions.  Of  these,  Alban, 
out  of  the  fervour  of  his  charity,  when  his  confessor,  Amphi- 

*  Asclepiodotus  is  hardly  mentioned  in  the  authentic  history  of  this 
period.  He  was  praefectus  praetorio  under  Constantius  Chlorus,  who  wai" 
the  general  that  really  recovered  Britain  from  Allectus. 

M 


162  geoff&ey's  British  history.        [book  r.  <».  & 

balus,  was  pursued  by  the  persecutors,  and  just  ready  to  be 
apprehended,  first  bid  him  in  bis  house,  and  tben  offered 
himself  to  die  for  him  ;  imitating  in  this  Christ  himself,  who 
laid  down  his  life  for  his  sheep.  The  other  two,  after  being 
torn  limb  from  limb,  in  a  manner  unheard  of,  received  the 
crown  of  martyrdom,  and  were  elevated  up  to  the  gates  of 
the  heavenly  Jerusalem, 

Chap.  VI. — An  insurrection  against   Asclepiodotus,    by  Ceel,    whose 
daughter  Helena  Constantius  marries* 

In  the  meantime  Coel,*  duke  of  Kaercolvin  or  Colchester, 
made  an  insurrection  against  king  Asclepiodotus,  and  in  a 
pitched  battle  killed  him,  and  took  possession  of  his  crown. 
The  senate,  hearing  this,  rejoiced  at  the  king's  death,  who 
had  given  such  disturbance  to  the  Roman  power :  and  reflect- 
ing on  the  damage  which  they  had  sustained  by  the  loss  of 
this  kingdom,  they  sent  Constantius  the  senator*  a  man  of 
prudence  and  courage,  who  had  reduced  Spain  tinder  their 
subjection,  and  who  was  above  all  the  rest  industrious  to 
promote  the  good  of  the  commonwealth.  Coel,  haying  In* 
formation  of  his  coming,  was  afraid  to  engage  him  in  battle, 
on  account  of  a  report,  that  no  king  was  able  to  stand  before 
him.  Therefore,  as  soon  as  Constantius  was  arrived  at  the 
island,  Coel  sent  ambassadors  to  him  with  offers  of  peace  and 
submission,  on  condition  that  he  should  enjoy  the  kingdom 
of  Britain,  and  pay  no  more  than  the  usual  tribute  to  the 
Roman  state.  Constantius  consented  to  this  proposal,  and  so, 
upon  their  giving  hostages,  peace  was  confirmed  between 
them.  The  month  after  Coel  was  seized  with  a  very  great 
sickness,  of  which  he  died  within  eight  days.  After  his 
decease,  Constantius  himself  was  crowned,  and  married  the 
daughter  of  Coel,  whose  name  was  Helena.  She  surpassed 
all  the  ladies  of  the  country  in  beauty,  as  she  did  all  others 
of  the  time  in  her  skill  in  music  and  the  liberal  arts.  Her 
father  had  no  other  issue  to  succeed  him  on  the  throne ;  for 
which  reason  he  was  very  careful  about  her  education,  that 
she  might  be  better  qualified  to  govern  the  kingdom.  Con- 
stantius, therefore,  having  made  her  partner  of  his  bed,  had 

•  This  king  seems  to  be  the  same  as  the  hero  of  the  old  popular  ditty, 
«  Old  king  Coel  was  a  merry  old  sou]/'  &c. 


aj>.312.]  CONSTANTINE  REDUCES  BOMB.  _  163 

a  son  by  her  called  Constantine.*  After  eleven. years  were 
expired,  he  died  at  York,  and  bestowed  the  kingdom  upon 
his  son,  who,  within  a  few  years  after  he  was  raised  to  this 
dignity,  began  to  give  proofs  of  heroic  virtue,  undaunted 
courage,  and  strict  observance  of  justice  towards  his  people. 
He  put  a  stop  to  the  depredations  of  robbers,  suppressed  the 
insolence  of  tyrants,  and  endeavoured  everywhere  to  restore 
peace. 

Chap.  YII.-~The  Romans  desire  Constantine* s  assistance  against  the 
—  cruelty  of  Maxentius. 

At  that  time  there  was  a  tyrant  at  Rome,  named  Maxentius,  f 
who  made  it  his  endeavour  to  confiscate  the  estates  of  all  the 
best  of  the  nobility,  and  oppressed  the  commonwealth  with 
his  grievous  tyranny.  Whilst  he,  therefore,  was  proceeding 
in  his  cruelty,  those  that  were  banished  fled  to  Constantine 
in  Britain,  and  were  honourably  entertained  by  him.  At 
last,  when  a  great  many  such  had  resorted  to  him,  they 
endeavoured  to  raise  in  him  an  abhorrence  of  the  tyrant, 
and  frequently  expostulated  with  him  after  this  manner  : — 
"How  long,  Constantine,  will  you  suffer  our  distress  and 
banishment  ?  Why  do  you  delay  to  restore  us  to  our  native 
country  ?  You  are  the  only  person  of  our  nation  that  can 
restore  to  us  what  we  have  lost,  by  driving  out  Maxentius. 
For  what  prince  is  to  be  compared  with  the  king  of  Britain, 
either  for  brave  and  gallant  soldiers,  or  for  large  treasures  ? 
We  entreat  you  to  restore  us  to  our  estates,  wives,  and 
children,  hj  conducting  us  with  an  army  to  Borne." 

Chap.  VIII. — Constantine,  having  reduced  Rome,  obtains  the  empire  of 
the  world,  Octavius,  duke  of  the  Wisseans,  is  put  to  flight  by 
Trahern. 

Constantine,  moved  with  these  and  the  like  speeches,  made 
an  expedition  to  Rome,  and  reduced  it  under  his  power,  and 
afterwards  obtained  the  empire  of  the  whole  world.  In  this 
expedition  he  carried  along  with  him  three  uncles  of  Helena, 
viz.  Leolin,  Trahern,  and  Marius,  and  advanced  them  to  the 

*  Constantine  was  born  long  before  Constantius  Chlorus  went  to  Britain. 
See  the  Roman  Historians. 

f  Maxentius  was  son  of  Maximian  who  abdicated.  The  skeleton  of  this 
part  of  the  history  is  taken  from  the  authentic  writers  :  but  the  details  are 
entirely  fictitious. 

x  2 


164  Geoffrey's  British  history.        [book  ▼.  ch.  8,  » 

degree  of  senators.  In  the  meantime  Octavius,  duke  of  the 
Wisseans,  rebelled  against  the  Roman  proconsuls,  to  whom 
the  government  of  the  island  had  been  committed,  and  having 
killed  them,  took  possession  of  the  throne.  Constantine,  upon 
information  of  this,  sent  Trahern,  the  uncle  of  Helena,  with 
three  legions  to  reduce  the  island.  Trahern  came  to  shore 
near  the  city,  which  in  the  British  tongue  is  called  Kaerperis, 
and  having  assailed  it,  took  it  in  two  days.  This  news 
spreading  over  the  whole  country,  king  Octavius  assembled 
all  the  forces  of  the  land,  and  went  to  meet  him  not  far  from 
Winchester,  in  a  field  called  in  the  British  tongue  Maisuriam, 
where  he  engaged  with  him  in  battle,  and  routed  him; 
Trahern,  upon  this  loss,  betook  himself  with  his  broken 
forces  to  his  ships,  and  in  them  made  a  voyage  to  Albania, 
in  the  provinces  of  which  he  made  great  destruction.  When 
Octavius  received  intelligence"  of  this,  he  followed- him  with 
his  forces,  and  encountered  him  in  Westmoreland,  but  fled* 
having  lost  the  victory.  On  the  other  hand,  Trahern,  When 
he  found  the  day  was  his  own,  pursued  Octavius,  nor  ever 
suffered  him  to  be  at  rest  till  he  had  dispossessed  him  both 
of  his  cities  and  crown.  Octavius,  in  great  grief  for  the  loss 
of  his  kingdom,  went  with  his  fleet  to  Norway,  to  obtain 
assistance  from  king  Gombert.  In  the  meantime  he  had 
given  orders  to  his  most  intimate  adherents  to  watch 
carefully  all  opportunities  of  killing  Trahern,  which 
accordingly  was  not  long  after  done  by  the  magistrate 
of  a  certain  privileged  town,  who  had  a  more  than 
ordinary  love  for  him.  For  as  Trahern  was  one  day 
upon  a  journey  from  London,  he  lay  hid  with  a  hundred 
men  in  the  vale  of  a  wood,  through  which  he  was  to  pass, 
and  there  fell  upon  him  unawares,  arid  killed  him  in  the 
midst  of  his  men.  This  news  being  brought  to  Octavius,  he 
returned  back  to  Britain,  where  he  dispersed  the  Romans, 
and  recovered  the  throne.  In  a  short  time  after  this,  he 
arrived  to  such  greatness  and  wealth  that  he  feared  nobody, 
and  possessed  the  kingdom  until  the  reign  of  Gratian  and 
Valentinian. 

Chap.  IX. — Maximian  is  desired  for  a  king  of  Britain, 

At  last,  in  his  old  age,  being  willing  to  settle  the  govern- 
ment, he  asked  his  council  which  of  his  family  they  desired 


4.D.381.]  CARADOC,   DUKE   OP   CORNWALL.  165 

to  have  for  their  king  after  his  decease.  For  he  had  no  son, 
and  only  one  daughter,  to  whom  he  could  leave  the  crown. 
Some,  therefore,  advised  him  to  bestow  his  daughter  with 
the  kingdom  upon  some  noble  Roman,  to  the  end  that  they 
might  enjoy  a  firmer  peace.  Others  were  of  opinion  that 
Conan  Meriadoc,  his  nephew,  ought  to  be  preferred  to  the 
throne,  and  the  daughter  married  to  some  prince  of  another 
kingdom  with  a  dowry  in  money.  While  these  things  were 
in  agitation  among  them,  there  came  Caradoc,  duke  of 
Cornwall,  and  gave  his  advice  to  invite  over  Maximian  *  the 
senator,  and  to  bestow  the  lady  with  the  kingdom  upon  him, 
which  would  be  a  means  of  securing  to  them  a  lasting  peace. 
For  his  father  Leolin,  the  uncle  of  Constantine,  whom  we 
mentioned  before,  was  a  Briton,  but  by  his  mother  and  place 
of  birth  he  was  a  Roman,  and  by  both  parents  he  was 
descended  of  royal  blood.  And  there  was  a  sure  prospect 
of  a  firm  and  secure  peace  under  him,  on  account  of  the  right 
which  he  had  to  Britain  by  his  descent  from  the  emperors, 
and  also  from  the  British  blood.  But  the  duke  of  Cornwall, 
by  delivering  this  advice,  brought  upon  himself  the  dis- 
pleasure of  Conan,  the  king's  nephew,  who  was  very 
ambitious  of  succeeding  to  the  kingdom,  and  put  the 
whole  court  into  confusion  about  it.  However,  Caradoc, 
being  unwilling  to  recede  from  his  proposal,  sent  his  son 
Mauricius  to  Rome  to  acquaint  Maximian  with  what  had 
passed.  Mauricius  was  a  person  of  large  and  well-propor- 
tioned stature,  as  well  as  great  courage  and  boldness,  and 
could  not  bear  to  have  his  judgment  contradicted  without  a 
recourse  to  arms  and  duelling.  On  presenting  himself  before 
Maximian,  he  met  with  a  reception  suitable  to  his  quality, 
and  had  the  greatest  honours  paid  him  of  any  that  were 
about  him.  There  happened  to  be  at  that  time  a  great 
contest  between  Maximian  and  the  two  emperors,  Gratian 
and  Valentinian,  on  account  of  his  being  refused  the  third 
part  of  the  empire,  which  he  demanded.  When,  therefore, 
Mauricius  saw  Maximian  ill-treated  by  the  emperors,  he  took 
occasion  from  thence  to  address  him  in  this  manner  :  "  Why 
need  you,  Maximian,  stand  in  fear  of  Gratian,  when  you  have 
so  fair  an  opportunity  of  wresting  the  empire  from  him  ? 
Come  with  me  into  Britain,  and  you  shall  take  possession 
*  Maximus  is  the  correct  name  of  this  usurper. 


166  GE0FI*RET,8  BMTlSfl  HlSTOBtT.  [booit.&W. 

of  that  crown.  For  king  Octavius,  being  now  grown  old 
and  infirm,  desires  nothing  more  than  to  find  some  such 
proper  person,  to  bestow  his  kingdom  and  daughter  upon. 
He  has  no  male  issue,  and  therefore  has  asked  the  advice 
of  his  nobility,  to  whom  he  should  marry  Ms  daughter  with 
the  kingdom ;  and  they  to  his  satisfaction  have  past  a  decree, 
that  the  kingdom  and  lady  be  given  to  you,  and  have  sent 
me  to  acquaint  you  with  it.  So  that  if  you  go  with  me,  and 
accomplish  this  affair,  you  may  with  the  treasure  and  forces 
of  Britain  be  able  to  return  back  to  Home,  drive  oat  the 
emperors,  and  gain  the  empire  to  yourself.  For  in  this 
manner  did  your  kinsman  Constantius,  and  several  others 
of  our  kings  who  raised  themselves  to  the  empire." 

Chap.  X. — Maximian,  coming  into  Britain,  artfully  decline*  figMkng 
with  Conan. 

Maxtmtan  was  pleased  with  the  offer,  and  took  his  journey 
to  Britain  ;  but  in  his  way  subdued  the  cities  of  the  Franks, 
by  which  he  amassed  a  great  treasure  of  gold  and  silver,  and 
raised  men  for  his  service  in  all  parts.  'Afterwards  he  set 
sail  with  a  fair  wind,  and  arrived  at  Hamo's  Port ;  the  news 
of  which  struck  the  king  with  fear  and  astonishment,  who 
took  this  to  be  a  hostile  invasion.  Whereupon  he  called  to 
him  his  nephew  Conan,  and  commanded  him  to  raise  all  the 
forces  of  the  kingdom,  and  go  to  meet  the  enemy.  Conan, 
having  made  the  necessary  preparations,  marched  accordingly 
to  Hamo's  Port,  where  Maximian  had  pitched  his  tents ; 
who,  upon  seeing  the  approach  of  so  numerous  an  army, 
was  under  the  greatest  perplexities  what  coarse  to  take. 
For  as  he  was  attended  with  a  smaller  body  of  men,  and  had 
no  hopes  of  being  entertained  peaceably,  he  dreaded  both  the 
number  and  courage  of  the  enemy.  Under  these  difficulties 
he  called  a  council  of  the  oldest  men,  together  with  Mauritius, 
to  ask  their  advice  what  was  to  be  done  at  this  critical  junc- 
ture. "  It  is  not  for  us,"  said  Mauricius,  "  to  hazard  a  battle 
with  such  a  numerous  and  powerful  army :  neither  was  the 
reduction  of  Britain  by  arms  the  end  of  our  coming.  Our 
business  must  be  to  desire  peace  and  a  hospitable  treatment, 
till  we  can  learn  the  king's  mind.  Let  us  say  that  we  are  sent 
by  the  emperors  upon  an  embassy  to  Octavius,  and  let  us 
with  artful  speeches  pacify  the  people."  When  all  had  shown 


a.d.  383]  MAXTMTAN,   USURPER.  167 

themselves  pleased  with  this  advice,  he  took  with  htm  twelve 
aged  men  with  grey  hairs,  eminent  beyond  the  rest  for  their 
quality  and  wisdom,  and  bearing  ©live»branches  in  their  right 
hands,  and  Went  to  meet  Conan.  The  Britons,  seeing  they 
were  men  of  a  venerable  age,  and  that  they  bore  olive- 
branches  as  a  token  of  peace,  rose  up  before  them  in  a 
respectful  manner,  and  opened  a  way  for  their  free  access 
to  their  commander.  Then  presenting  themselves  before 
Conan  Meriadoo,  they  saluted  him  in  the  name  of  the 
emperors  and  the  senate,  and  told  him,  that  Maximian 
was  sent  to  Octavius  upon  an  embassy  from  Gratian  and 
Valentmian.  Conan  made  answer:,  "Why  is  he  then 
attended  with  so  great  a  multitude  ?  This  does  not  look 
like  the  appearance  of  ambassadors,  but  the  invasion  of 
^enemies."  To  which  Mauricius  replied:  "It  did  not  become 
so  great  a  man  to  appear  abroad  in  a  mean  figure,  or  without 
soldiers  for  his  guard  $  especially  considering,  that  by  reason 
of  the  Roman  power,  and  the  actions  of  his  ancestors,  he  is 
become  obnoxious  to  many  kings.  If  he  had  but  a  small 
retinue,  he  might  have  been  killed  by  the  enemies  of  the 
commonwealth.  He  is  come  in  peace,  and  it  is  peace  which 
he  desires.  For,  from  the  time  of  our  arrival,  our  behaviour 
has  been  such  as  to  give  no  offence  to  any  body.  We  have 
bought  necessaries  at  our  own  expenses,  as  peaceable  people 
do,  and  have  taken  nothing  from  any  by  violence."  While 
Conan  was  in  suspense,  whether  to  give  them  peace,  or 
begin  the  battle,  Caradoc,  duke  of  Cornwall,  with  others 
•f  the  nobility,  came  to  him,  and  dissuaded  him  from  pro- 
ceeding in  the  war  after  this  representation  ;  whereupon, 
though  much  against  his  will,  he  laid  down  his  arms,  and 
granted  them  peace.  Then  he  conducted  Maximian  to 
London,  where  he  gave  the  king  an  account  of  the  whole 
proceeding. 

Chap.  XL — The  kingdom  of  Britain  is  bestowed  on  Maximian. 

Caradoc,  after  this,  taking  along  with  him  his  son  Mauri- 
cius, commanded  everybody  to  withdraw  from  the  king's 
presence,  and  then  addressed  him  in  these  words  :  "  Behold, 
that  which  your  more  faithful  and  loyal  subjects  have  long 
wished  for,  is  now  by  the  good  providence  of  God  brought 
about.     You  commanded  your  nobility  to  give  their  advice, 


I6j8  Geoffrey's  British  history.        [boo*  ▼.  ch.  ^. 

how  to  dispose  of  your  daughter  and  kingdom,  as  being  will- 
ing to  hold  the  government  no  longer  on  account  of  your 
great  age.  Some,  therefore,  were  for  having  the  kingdom 
delivered  up  to  Conan  your  nephew,  and  a  suitable,  match 
procured  for  your  daughter  elsewhere ;  as  fearing  the  ruif; 
of  our  people,  if  any  prince  that  is  a  stranger  to  our  lan- 
guage should  be  set  over  us.  Others  were  for  granting  tto 
kingdom  to  your,  daughter  and  some  nobleman  of  our  owiK 
country,  who  should  succeed  you  after  your  death.  But  the  ^ 
greater  number  recommended  some  person  descended  of  the 
family  of  the  emperors,  on  whom  you  should  J>estow  your 
daughter  and  crown.  For  they  promised  themselves,  a,  firm 
and  lasting  peace,  as  the  consequence  of  such  a,  marriage^ 
since  they  would  be  under  the  prptection,  of  the  Roman 
state.  See  then  !  God  has  vouchsafed  to  bring  to  you  a 
young  man,  who  is  both  a,  Roman,  and  also  of  the  royal 
family  of  Britain  ;  and  to  whom,  if  you  follow  my  advice^ 
you  will  not  delay  to  marry  your  daughter.  And  indeed* 
should  you  refuse  him,  what  right  could  you  plead  to  the 
crown  of  Britain  against  him  ?  For  he  is  the  cousin  of^Con- 
stantine,  and  the  nephew  of  king  Coel,  whose  daughter 
Helena  possessed  the  crown  by  an  undeniable  hereditary 
right."  When  Caradoc  had  represented  these  things  to  him, 
Octavius  acquiesced,  and  with  the  general  consent  of  his 
people  bestowed  the  kingdom  and  his  daughter  upon  him. 
Conan  Meriadoc,  finding  how  things  went,  was  beyond  ex- 
pression incensed,  and,  retiring  into  Albania,  used  all  his 
interest  to  raise  an  army,  that  he  might  give  disturbance  to 
Maximian.  And  when  he  ha,d  got  a  great  body  of  men 
together,  he  passed  the  Humber,  and  wasted  the  provinces 
on  each  side  of  it.  A.t  the  news  whereof,  Maximian 
hastened  to  assemble  his  forces  against  him,  and  then  gave 
him  battle,  and  returned  with  victory.  But  this  proved  no. 
decisive  blow  to  Conan,  who  with  his  re-assembled  troops 
still  continued  to  ravage  the  provinces,  and  provoked  Max- 
imian to  return  again  and  renew  the  war,  in  which  he  had 
various  success,  being  sometimes  victorious,  sometimes  de- 
feated. At  last,  after  great  damages  done  on  both  sides, 
they  were  brought  by  the  mediation  of  friends  to  a  recon- 
ciliation. 


a.d.334.]  PONQUEST  OF  ARMOBICA.  169 


Chap.  XII. — Maxityian   overthrows  the  Armor  icons:  his  speech  to 
Conan. 

Five  years  after  this,  Maxlmian,  proud  of  the  vast  treasures 
that  daily  flowed  in  upon  him,  fitted  out  a  great  fleet,  and 
assembled  together  all  the  forces  in  Britain.  For  this  king- 
dom was  now  not  sufficient  for  him ;  he  was  ambitious  of 
adding  Gaul  also  to  it.  With  this  view  he  set  sail,  and 
arrived  first  at  the  kingdom  of  Armorica,  now  called  Bre- 
tagne,  and  began  hostilities  upon  the  Gallic  people  that 
inhabited  it.  But  the  Gauls,  under  the  command  of  Im- 
baltus,  met  him,  and  engaged  him  in  battle,  in  which  the 
greater  part  being  in  danger,  they  were  forced  to  fly,  and 
leave  Imbaltus  with  fifteen  thousand  men  killed,  all  of  them 
Armoricans.  This  severe  overthrow  was  matter  of  the 
greatest  joy  to  Maximian,  who  knew  the  reduction  of  that 
country  would  be  very  easy,  after  the  loss  of  so  m,any  men. 
Upon  this  occasion  he  called  Conan  aside  from  the  army, 
and  smiling  said  : — "  See,  we  have  already  conquered  one  of 
the  best  kingdoms  in  Gaul :  we  may  now  have  hopes  of 
gaining  all  the  rest.  Let  us  make  haste  to  take  the  cities 
and  towns,  before  the  rumour  of  their  danger  spread  to  the 
remoter  parts  of  Gaul,  and  raise  all  the  people  up  in  arms. 
For  if  we  can  but  get  possession  of  this  kingdom,  I  make  no 
doubt  of  reducing  all  Gaul  under  our  power.  Be  not  there- 
fore concerned  that  you  have  yielded  up  the  island  of 
Britain  to  me,  notwithstanding  the  hopes  you  once  had  of 
succeeding  to  it ;  because  whatever  you  have  lost  in  it,  I 
will  restore  to  you  in  this  country.  For  my  design  is  to 
advance  you  to  the  throne  of  this  kingdom  ;  and  this  shall 
be  another  Britain,  which  we  will  people  with  our  own 
countrymen,  and  drive  out  the  old  inhabitants.  The  land  is 
fruitful  in  corn,  the  rivers  abound  with  fish,  the  woods 
afford  a  beautiful  prospect,  and  the  forests  are  everywhere 
pleasant ;  nor  is  there  in  my  opinion  anywhere  a  more  de- 
lightful country."  Upon  this,  Conan,  with  a  submissive 
bow,  gave  him  his  thanks,  and  promised  to  continue  loyal  to 
him  as  long  as  he  lived. 


170  Geoffrey's  British  history.    [bookt.ch.is,i4 


Chap.  XIIL—  Redonum  token  by  Maximum. 

After  this  they  marched  with  their  forces  to  Redonum,* 
and  took  it  the  same  day.  For  the  citizens,  hearing  of  the 
bravery  of  the  Britons,  and  what  slaughter  they  had  made, 
fled  away  with  haste,  leaving  their  wives  and  children 
behind  them.  And  the  rest  of  the  cities  and  towns  soon 
followed  their  example ;  so  that  there  was  an  easy  entrance 
into  them  for  the  Britons,  who  wherever  they  entered  killed 
all  they  found  left  of  the  male  sex,  and  spared  only  the 
women.  At  last,  when  they  had  wholly  extirpated  the 
inhabitants  of  all  those  provinces,  they  garrisoned  the  cities 
and  towns  with  British  soldiers,  and  made  fortifications  in 
several  places.  The  fame  of  Maximian's  exploits  spreading 
over  the  rest  of  the  provinces  of  Gaul,  all  their  dukes  and 
princes  were  in  a  dreadful  consternation,  and  had  no  other 
hopes  left  but  in  their  prayers  to  their  gods.  Maximian, 
finding  that  he  had  struck  terror  into  them,  began  to  think 
of  still  bolder  attempts,  and  by  profusely  distributing  pre- 
sents, augmented  his  army.  For  all  persons  that  he  knew 
to  be  eager  for  plunder,  he  enlisted  into  his  service,  and 
by  plentifully  bestowing  his  money  and  other  valuable  things 
among  them,  kept  them  firm  to  his  interest. 

Chap.  XIV. — Maximian,  after  the  conquest  of  Gaul  and  Germany,  make* 
Triers  the  seat  of  his  empire. 

By  these  means  he  raised  such  a  numerous  army,  as  he 
thought  would  be  sufficient  for  the  conquest  of  all  Gaul* 
Notwithstanding  which  he  suspended  his  arms  for  a  time, 
till  he  had  settled  the  kingdom  which  he  had  taken,  and 
peopled  it  with  Britons.  To  this  end  he  published  a  decree* 
for  the  assembling  together  of  a  hundred  thousand  of  the 
common  people  of  Britain,  who  were  to  come  over  to  settle 
in  the  country ;  besides  thirty  thousand  soldiers,  to  defend 
them  from  hostile  attack.  As  soon  as  the  people  were 
arrived  according  to  his  orders,  he  distributed  them  through 
all  the  countries  of  Armorica,  and  made  another  Britain  of 
it,  and  then  bestowed  it  on  Conan  Meriadoc.  But  he  him* 
self,  with  the  rest  of  his  fellow  soldiers,  marched  into  the 

•  Rennes. 


a.d.  385, 386.1  CONAN  AND  THE  AQUITANIANS.  171 

further  part  of  Gaul,  which)  after  many  "bloody  battles,  he 
subdued,  as  he  did  also  all  Germany,  being  everywhere 
victorious.  But  the  seat  of  his  empire  he  made  at  Triers, 
and  fell  so  furiously  upon  the  two  emperors,  Gratian  and 
Valentinian,  that  he  killed  the  one*  and  forced  the  other  to 
flee  from  Rome* 

Chap.  XV. — A  fight  between  the  A  quit  anions  and  Oman, 

In  the  meantime,  the  Gauls  and  Aquitanians  gave  disturb- 
ance to  Conan  and  the  Armorican  Britons,  and  harassed 
them  with  their  frequent  incursions ;  but  he  as  often  defeated 
them,  and  bravely  defended  the  country  committed  to  him. 
After  he  had  entirely  vanquished  them,  he  had  a  mind  to 
bestow  wives  on  Ids  fellow  soldiers,  by  whom  they  might 
have  issue  to  keep  perpetual  possession  of  the  country ;  and 
to  avoid  all  mixture  with  the  Gauls,  he  sent  over  to  the 
island  of  Britain  for  wives  for  them*  In  order  to  accom- 
plish this,  messengers  were  sent  to  recommend  the  manage- 
ment of  this  affair  to  Dianotus,  king  of  Cornwall,  who  had 
succeeded  his  brother  Caradoc  in  that  kingdom.  He  was  a 
very  noble  and  powerful  prince,  and  to  him  Maximian  had 
committed  the  government,  while  he  was  employed  in  affairs 
abroad.  He  had  also  a  daughter  of  wonderful  beauty, 
named  Ursula)  with  whom  Conan  was  most  passionately 
in  love* 

Chap.  XVI. — Guanius  and  Melga  murder  eleven  thousand  virgins.   Max- 
imian is  killed  at  Rome, 

Dianotus,  upon  this  message  sent  him  by  Conan>  was  very 
ready  to  execute  his  orders,  and  summoned  together  the 
daughters  of  the  nobility  from  all  provinces,  to  the  number 
of  eleven  thousand ;  but  of  the  meaner  sort,  sixty  thousand ; 
and  commanded  them  all  to  appear  together  in  the  city  of 
London.  He  likewise  ordered  ships  to  be  brought  from  all 
shores,  for  their  transportation  to  their  future  husbands. 
And  though  in  so  great  a  multitude  many  were  pleased  with 
this  order,  yet  it  was  displeasing  to  the  greater  part,  who 
had  a  greater  affection  for  their  relations  and  native  country. 
Nor,  perhaps,  were  there  wanting  some  who,  preferring 
virginity  to  the  married  state,  would  have  rather  lost  their 


1 72  Geoffrey's  British  history.  [book  *.  <*.  is. 

lives  in  any  country,  than  enjoyed  the  greatest  plenty  in 
wedlock.  In  short,  most  of  them  had  views  and  wishes  dif- 
ferent from  one  another,  had  they  been  left  to  their  own 
liberty.  But  now  the  ships  being  ready,  they  went  on 
board,  and  sailing  down  the  Thames,  made  towards  the  sea. 
At  last,  as  they  were  steering  towards  the  Armorican  coast, 
contrary  winds  arose  and  dispersed  the  whole  fleet.  Jn  this 
storm  the  greater  part  of  the  ships  foundered;  but  the 
women  that  escaped  the  danger  of  the  sea,  were  driven  upon 
strange  islands,  and  by  a  barbarous  people  either  murdered 
or  made  slaves.  For  they  happened  to  fall  into  the  hands  of 
the  cruel  army  of  Guanius  and  Melga,  who,  by  the  com- 
mand of  Gratian,*  were  making  terrible  destruction  in  Ger- 
many, and  the  nations  on  the  sea-coast.  Guanius  was  king 
of  the  Huns,  and  Melga  of  the  Picts,  whom  Gratian  had 
engaged  in  his  party,  and  had  sent  him  into  Germany  to 
harass  those  of  Maximian's  party  along  the  sea-coasts. 
While  they  were  thus  exercising  their  barbarous  rage,  they 
happened  tp  light  upon  these  virgins,  who  had  been  driven 
on  those  parts,  and  were  so  inflamed  with  their  beauty,  that 
they  courted  them  to  their  brutish  embraces ;  which,  when 
the  women  would  not  submit  to,  the  Ambrons  fell  upon 
them,  and  without  remorse  murdered  the  greatest  part  of 
them.  This  done,  the  two  wicked  leaders  of  the  Picts  and 
Huns,  Guanius  and  Melga,  being  the  partizans  of  Gratian 
and  Valentinian,  when  they  had  learned  that  the  island  of 
Britain  was  drained  of  all  its  soldiers,  made  a  speedy  voyage 
towards  it ;  and,  taking  into  their  assistance  the  people  of 
the  adjacent  islands,  arrived  in  Albania.  Then  joining  in  a 
body,  they  invaded  the  kingdom,  which  was  left  without 
either  government  or  defence,  and  made  miserable  destruc- 
tion among  the  common  people.  For  Maximian,  as  we  have 
already  related,  had  carried  away  with  him  all  the  warlike 
youth  that  could  be  found,  and  had  left  behind  him  only  the 
husbandmen,  who  had  neither  sense  nor  arms,  for  the  defence 
of  their  country.  Guanius  and  Melga,  finding  that  they 
were  not  able  to  make  the  least  opposition,  began  to  domineer 
most  insolently,  and  to  lay  waste  their  cities  and  countries, 
as  if  they  had  only  been  pens  of  sheep.     The  news  of  this 

*  That  is,  Gratian  the  emperor,  and  brother  of  Valentinian,  not  flratMf 
Municeps. 


A.D.  407.]  DEATH  OF  GRATIAN  MUNICEPS*  173 

grievous  calamity,  coming  to  Maximian,  he  sent  away  Gra- 
tian  Municeps,*  with  two  legions,  to  their  assistance ;  who, 
as  soon  as  they  arrived,  fought  with  the  enemy,  and  after  a 
most  bloody  victory  over  them^  forced  them  to  fly  over  into 
Ireland.  In  the  meantime,  Maximian  was  killed  at  Rome 
by  Gratian's  friends  ;f  and  the  Britons  whom  he  had  carried 
with  him  were  also  slain  or  dispersed.  Those  of  them  that 
could  escape,  went  to  their  countrymen  in  Armorica,  which 
was  now  called  the  other  Britain. 


BOOK  VI. 

Chap.  I. — Gratian,  being  advanced  to  the  throne,  is  killed  by  the  common 
people.  The  Britons  desire  the  Romans  to  defend  them  against  Guanius 
and  Melga. 

But  Gratian  Municeps,J  hearing  of  the  death  of  Maximian, 
seized  the  crown,  and  made  himself  king.  After  this  he 
exercised  such  tyranny  that  the  common  people  fell  upon 
him  in  a  tumultuous  manner",  and  murdered  him.  When 
this  news  reached  other  countries,  their  former  enemies  re- 
turned back  from  Ireland,  and  bringing  with  them  the  Scots,/ 
Norwegians*  and  Dacians,  made  dreadful  devastations  with! 
fire  and  sword  over  the  whole  kingdom,  from  sea  to  sea. 
Upon  this  most  grievous  calamity  and  oppression,  ambassa- 
dors are  despatched  with  letters  to  Rome,  to  beseech,  with 
tears  and  vows  of  perpetual  subjection,  that  a  body  of  men 
might  be  sent  to  revenge  their  injuries,  and  drive  out  the 
enemy  from  them.  The  ambassadors  in  a  short  time  pre- 
vailed so  far,  that,  unmindful  of  past  injuries,  the  Romans 
granted  them  one  legion,  Which  was  transported  in  a  fleet  to  ' 
their  country,  and  there  speedily  encountered  the  enemy. 

*  This  Gratian  was  called  Municeps,  because  he  was  a  citizen  of  Bri- 
tain. 

t  Maximus  was  besieged  in  Aquileia,  and  slain  by  Theodosius,  emperor 
of  the  East,  a.d.  388. 

X  There  was  also  one  Marcus  at  this  time,  whom  the  soldiers  in  Britain 
Advanced  to  the  sovereignty;  but  he  was  soon  got  rid  of. 


174  Geoffrey's  British  history.       [kxkvi.cb.i. 

At  last,  after  the  slaughter  of  a  vast  multitude  of  them,  they 
drove  them  entirely  out  of  the  country,  and  rescued  the 
miserable  people  from  their  outrageous  cruelty.  Then  they 
gave  orders  for  a  wall  to  be  built  between  Albania  and 
Deira,  from  one  sea  to  the  other,  for  a  terror  to  the  enemy, 
and  safeguard  to  the  country.  At  that  time  Albania  was 
wholly  laid  waste,  by  the  frequent  invasions  of  barbarous 
nations ;  and  whatever  enemies  made  an  attempt  upon  the 
country,  met  with  a  convenient  landing-place  there.  So 
that  the  inhabitants  were  diligent  in  working  upon  the 
wall,*  which  they  finished  partly  at  the  public,  partly  upon 
private  charge. 

Chap.  II. — GuetheUri**  speech  to  the  Britons  when  the  Romans  left  them. 

The  Romans,  after  this,  declared  to  the  Britons,  that  they 
should  not  be  able  for  the  future  to  undergo  the  fatigue  of 
such  laborious  expeditions ;  and  that  it  was  beneath  the  dig- 
nity of  the  Roman  state  to  harass  so  great  and  brave  an 
army,  both  by  land  and  sea,  against  base  and  vagabond  rob* 
,  ,,  \   bers ;  but  that  they  ought  to  apply  themselves  to  the  use  of 
'*Y     arms,  and  to  fight  bravely  in  defending  to  the  utmost  of  their 
^  power,  their  country,  riches,  wives,  children,  and,  wjhat  is 

dearer  than  all  these,  their  liberty  and  lives.  As  soon  as 
they  had  given  them  this  exhortation,  they  commanded  all 
the  men  of  the  island  that  were  fit  for  war,  to  appear 
together  at  London,  because  the  Romans  were  about  to 
return  home.  When,  therefore,  they  were  all  assembled, 
<•  Guethelin,  the  metropolitan  of  London,  had  orders  to  make 
a  speech  to  them,  which  he  did  in  these  words  :— 

"  Though  I  am  appointed  by  the  princes  here  present  to 
speak  to  you,  I  find  myself  rather  ready  to  burst  into  tears, 
than  to  make  an  eloquent  oration.  It  is  a  most  sensible 
affliction  to  me  to  observe  the  weak  and  destitute  state  into 
which  you  are  fallen  since  Maximian  drew  away  with  him 
all  the  forces  and  youth  of  this  kingdom.  You  that  were 
>iieft  were  people  wholly  inexperienced  in  war,  and  occupied 

tith  other  employments,  as  tilling  the  ground,  and  several 
inds  of  mechanical  trades.      So  that  when  your  enemies 


/*  It  was  unnecessary  for  the  Britons  to  build  a  wall,  Lrouiac  u«i  « 
one  built  for  them  by  Severua  230  years  before.  ^     -      ^L 


a.d.  408. J  INCURSIONS  OF  GUANIUS  AND  MELGA.  175 

from  foreign  countries  came  upon  you,  as  sheep  wandering 
without  a  shepherd,  they  forced  you  to  quit  your  folds,  till 
the  Roman  power  restored  you  to  them  again.  Must  yourl 
hopes,  therefore,  always  depend  upon  foreign  assistance  ? 
Anil' will  you  never  use  yourselves  to  handle  arms  against  a 
band  of  robbers,  that  are  by  no  means  stronger  than  your- 
selves, if  you  are  not  dispirited  by  sloth  and  cowardice  £ 
The  Romans  are  now  tired  with  the  continual  voyages 
wherewith  they  are  harassed  to  defend  you  against  your 
enemies:  they  rather  choose  to  remit  to  you  the  tribute 
you  pay  them,  than  undergo  any  longer  this  fatigue  by  land\/ 
and  sea.  Because  you  were  only  the  common  people  at  the  A 
time  when  we  had  soldiers  of  our  own,  do  you  therefore 
think  that  manhood  has  quite  forsaken  you  ?  Are  not  men 
in  the  course  of  human  generation  often  the  reverse  of  one 
another  ?  Is  not  a  ploughman  often  the  father  of  a  soldier, 
and  a  soldier  of  a  ploughman  ?  Does  not  the  same  diversity 
happen  in  a  mechanic  and  a  soldier  ?  Since  then,  in  this 
manner,  one  produces  another,  I  cannot  think  it  possible  for 
manhood  to  be  lost  among  them.  As  then  you  are  men,  be- 
have yourselves  like  men ;  call  upon  the  name  of  Christ, 
that  he  may  inspire  you  with  courago  to  defend  your 
liberties." 

No  sooner  had  he  concluded  his  speech,  than  the  people 
raised  such  a  shout,  that  one  would  have  thought  them  on  a 
sudden  inspired  with  courage  from  heaven. 

Chap.  III. — The  Britons  are  again  cruelly  harassed  by  Guanim^md  /  * 

Melga.  -^        A**??  £ 

^  tit 

After  this  the  Romans  encouraged  the  timorous  people  as  **-  ^^ 

much  as  they  could,  and  left  thein^paitefns  of  their  arms. 
They  likewise  commanded  tower^having  a  prospect  towards 
the  sea,  to  be  placed  at  proper  distances  along  all  the  south 
coast,  where  their  ships  were,  and  from  whence  they  feared 
the  invasions  of  the  barbarians.  But,  according  to  the  pro- 
verb, "  It  is  easier  to  make  a  hawk  of  a  kite,  than  a  scholar 
of  a  ploughman  ;"  all  learning  to  him  is  but  as  a  pearl  thrown 
before  swine.  Thus,  no  sooner  had  the  Romans  taken  their 
farewell  of  them,  than  the  two  leaders,  Guanius  and  Melgal 
issued  forth  from  their  ships,  in  which  they  had  fled  over 
into  Ireland,  and  with  their  bands  of  Scots,  Picts,  Norwe- 


176  Geoffrey's  British  history.       [s««Ti.cH.i 

gians,  Dacians,  and  others,  whom  they  had  brought  along 
with  them,  seized  upon  all  Albania  as  far  as  the  ve*ry  wall. 
Understanding,  likewise,  that  the  Romans  were  gone,  never 
to  return  any  more,  they  now,  in  a  more  insolent  manner 
than  before,  began  their  devastations  in  the  island.  Here- 
upon the  country  fellows  upon  the  battlements  of  the  walls 
sat  night  and  day  with  quaking  hearts,  not  daring  to  stir 
from  their  seats,  and  readier  for  flight  than  making  the  least 
resistance.  In  the  meantime  the  enemies  ceased  not  with 
their  hooks  to  pull  them  down  headldng,  and  dash  the 
wretched  herd  to  pieces  upon  the  ground ;  who  gained  at 
least  this  advantage  by  their  speedy  death,  that  they  avoided 
the  sight  of  that  most  deplorable  calamity,  which  forthwith 
threatened  their  relations  and  dearest  children.  Such  was 
the  terrible  vengeance  of  God  for  that  most  wicked  madness 

^6?  Maximian,  in  draining  the  kingdom  of  all  its  forces,  who, 
had  they  been  present,  would  have  repulsed  any  nation  that 
invaded  them  ;  an  evident  proof  of  which  they  gave,  by  the 
vast  conquests  they  made  abroad,  even  in  remote  countries  ; 
and  also  by  maintaining  their  own  country  in  peace,  while 
they  continued  here.     But  thus  it  happens  when  a  country 

^is  left  to  the  defence  of  country  clowns.  In  short,  quitting 
\their  high  wall  and  their  cities,  the  country  people  were  forced 
[again  to  fly,  and  to  suffer  a  more  fatal  dispersion,  a  more 
furious  pursuit  of  the  enemy,  a  more  cruel  and  more  general 
plaughter  than  before  ;  and  like  lambs  before  wolves,  so  was 
that  miserable  people  torn  to  pieces  by  the  merciless  barba- 
dians. Again,  therefore,  the  wretched  remainder  send  letters 
to  Agitius,  a  man  of  great  power  among  the  Romans,  to  this 
effect.  "To  Agitiusj*  thrice  consul,  the  groans  of  the 
Britons.,,  And  after  some  few  other  complaints  they  add : 
"  The  sea  drives  us  to  the  barbarians,  and  the  barbarians 
drive  us  back  to  the  sea  :  thus  are  we  tossed  to  and  fro  be- 
tween two  kinds  of  death,  being  either  drowned  or  put  to 
the  sword."  Notwithstanding  this  most  moving  address, 
they  procured  no  relief,  and  the  ambassadors  returning  back 
in  great  heaviness,  declared  to  their  countrymen  the  repulse 
which  they  had  suffered. 

*  ^Etius  is  the  name  of  this  general  in  the  classic  writers. 


a.d.408]  ALDROEN,   KING  OP  ARMORICA.  177 


Chap.  IV. — Guethelin  desires  succours  of  Aldroen, 

Hereupon,  after  a  consultation  together,  Guethelin,  arch- 
bishop of  London,  passed  over  into  Lesser  Britain,  called  then  |  blM& 
Armorica,  or  Letavia,  to  desire  assistance  of  their  brethren.  I 
At  that  time.  Aldroen  reigned  there,  being  the  fourth  king 
from  Conarv fowhom,  as  has  been  already  related,  Maximian 
had  given  that  kingdom.  This  prince,  seeing  a  prelate  of  so 
great  dignity  arrive,  received  him  with  honour,  and  inquired 
after  the  occasion  of  his  coming.     To  whom  Guethelin : — 

"  Your  majesty  can  be  no  stranger  to  the  misery  which  we, 
your  Britons,  have  suffered  (which  may  even  demand  your 
tears),  since  the  time  that  Maximian  drained  our  island  of 
its  soldiers,  to  people  the  kingdom  which  you  enjoy,  and 
which  God  grant  you  may  long  enjoy  in  peace.  For  against 
us  the  poor  remains  of  the  British  race,  all  the  people  of  the 
adjacent  islands,  have  risen  up,  and  made  an  utter  devasta- 
tion in  our  country,  which  then  abounded  with  all  kinds  of 
riches ;  so  that  the  people  now  are  wholly  destitute  of  all 
manner  of  sustenance,  but  what  they  can  get  in  hunting. 
Nor  had  we  any  power  or  knowledge  of  military  affairs  left  ^ 
among  us  to  encounter  the  enemy.  For  the  Romans  are 
tired  of  us,  and  have  absolutely  refused  their  assistance.  So 
that  now,  deprived  of  all  other  hope,  we  come  to  implore 
your  clemency,  that  you  would  furnish  us  with  forces,  and 
protect  a  kingdom,  which  is  of  right  your  own,  from  the  in- 
cursions of  barbarians.  For  who  but  yourself,  ought,  with- 
out your  consent,  to  wear  the  crown  of  Constantine  and 
Maximian,  since  the  right  your  ancestors  had  to  it  is  now 
devolved  upon  you  ?  Prepare  then  your  fleet,  and  go  with 
me.  Behold  !  I  deliver  the  kingdom  of  Britain  into  your 
hands." 

To  this  Aldroen  made  answer  :  "  There  was  a  time  for- 
merly when  I  would  not  have  refused  to  accept  of  the  island 
of  Britain,  if  it  had  been  offered  me  ;  for  I  do  not  think  there 
was  anywhere  a  more  fruitful  country  while  it  enjoyed  peace 
and  tranquillity.     But  now,  since  the  calamities  that  have  i 
befallen  it,  it  is  become  of  less  value,  and  odious  both  to  me0) 
and  all  other  princes.     But  above  all  things  the  power  of  the  • 
Romans  was  so  destructive  to  it,  that  nobody "couTcTenjoy 
any  settled  state  or  authority  in  it,  without  loss  of  liberty, 


178  Geoffrey's  British  history.        [boo*ti.  ch.j. 

and  bearing  the  yoke  of  slavery  under  them.  And  who 
S  would  not  prefer  the  possession  of  a  lesser  country  with 
liberty,  to  all  the  riches  of  that  island  in  servitude  ?  The 
kingdom  that  is  now  under  my  subjection  I  enjoy  with 
;  honour,  and  without  paying  homage  to  any  superior  ;  so  that 
I  I  prefer  it  to  all  other  countries,  since  I  can  govern  it  with- 
out being  controlled.  Nevertheless,  out  of  respect  to  the 
right  that  my  ancestors  for  many  generations  have  had  to 
Syo\\r  island,  I  deliver  to  you  my  brother  Constantine  with 
two  thousand  men,  that  with  the  good  providence  of  God, 
he  may  free  your  country  from  the  inroads  of  barbarians, 
and  obtain  the  crown  for  himself.  For  I  have  a  brother 
called  by  that  name,  who  is  an  expert  soldier,  and  in  all  other 
respects  an  accomplished  man.  If  you  please  to  accept  of 
him,  I  will  not  refuse  to  send  him  with  you,  together  with 
the  said  number  of  men ;  for  indeed  a  larger  number  I  do 
not  mention  to  you,  because  I  am  daily  threatened  with  dis- 
turbance from  the  Gauls."  He  had  scarcely  done  speaking 
before  the  archbishop  returned  him  thanks,  and  when  Con- 
stantine was  called  in,  broke  out  into  these  expressions  of 
joy  :  "  Christ  conquers  ;  Christ  commands  ;  Christ  reigns  : 
behold  the  king  of  desolate  Britain  !  Be  Christ  only  present, 
and  behold  our  defence,  our  hope  and  joy."  In  short,  the 
ships  being  got  ready,  the  men  who  were  chosen  out  from 
all  parts  of  the  kingdom,  were  delivered  to  Guethelin. 

Chap.  V. — Constantine,  being  made  king  of  Britain,  leaves  three  eon*. 

When  they  had  made  all  necessary  preparations,  they  em- 
barked, and  arrived  at  the  port  of  Totness  ;  and  then  with- 
out delay  assembled  together  the  youth  that  was  left  in  the 
island,  and  encountered  the  enemy  ;  over   whom,   by  the 
merit  of  the  holy  prelate,  they  obtained  the  victory.     After 
jtliis  the  Britons,  before  dispersed,  flocked  together  from  all 
.'parts,  and  in  a  council  held  at  Silchester,  promoted  Constan- 
I  tine  to  the  throne,  and  there  performed  the  ceremony  of  his 
i  coronation.     They  also  married  him  to  a  lady,  descended 
from  a  noble  Roman  family,  whom  archbishop  Guethelin  had 
educated,  and  by  whom  the  king  had  afterwards  three  sons, 
^Constans,  Aurelius  Ambrosius,  and  Uther  Pendragon.    Con- 
stans,  who  was  the  eldest,  he  delivered  to  the  church  of  Am- 
phibalus  in  Winchester,  that  he  might  there  take  upon  him 


a.d.  409]  CORONATION  OP   CONSTANS.  179 

the  monastic  order.  But  the  other  two,  viz.  Aurelius  and 
Uther,  he  committed  to  the  care  of  Guethelin  for  their  edu- 
cation. At  last,  after  ten  years  were  expired,  there  came  a 
certain  Pict,  who  had  entered  in  his  service,  and  under  pre- 
tence of  holding  some  private  discourse  with  him,  in  a 
nursery  of  young  trees  where  nobody  was  present,  stabbed 
him  with  a  dagger. 

Chap.  VI. — Constant  is  by  Vortigern  crowned  king  of  Britain* 

Upon  the  death  of  Constantine,  a  dissension  arose  among  Jhe 
nobility,  about  a  successor  to  the  throne.  Some  were  for 
8etnng  up  Aurelius  AmbrosTus  ;  others  Uther  Pendragon ; 
others  again  some  dffier  persons  of  the  royal  family.  At  last, 
when  they  could  come  to  no  conclusion,  Vortigern,  consul 
of  the  Gewisseans,  who  was  himself  very  ambitious  of  the 
crown,  went  to  Constans  the  monk,*  and  thus  addressed 
himself  to  him :  "  You  see  your  father  is  dead,  and  your 
brothers  on  account  of  their  age  are  incapable  of  the  govern- 
ment ;  neither  do  I  see  any  of  your  family  besides  yourself, 
whom  the  people  ought  to  promote  to  the  kingdom.  If  you 
will  therefore  follow  my  advice,  I  will,  on  condition  of  your 
increasing  my  private  estate,  dispose  the  people  to  favour 
your  advancement,  and  free  you  from  that  habit,  notwith- 
standing that  it  is  against  the  rule  of  your  order."  Constans, 
overjoyed  at  the  proposal,  promised,  with  an  oath,  that  upon 
these  terms  he  would  grant  him  whatever  he  would  desire. 
Then  Vortigern  took  him,  and  investing  him  in  his  regal 
habiliments,  conducted  him  to  London,  and  made  him  king, 
though  not  with  the  free  consent  of  the  people.  Arch- 
bishop Guethelin  was  then  dead,  nor  was  there  any  other 
that  durst  perform  the  ceremony  of  his  unction,  on  account 
of  his  having  quitted  the  monastic  order.  However,  this 
proved  no  hindrance  to  his  coronation,  for  Vortigern  himself 
performed  the  ceremony  instead  of  a  bishop. 

•  It  is  true  that  Constans,  the  son  of  Constantine,  entered  into  the 
sacerdotal  profession,  but  both  he  and  his  father  Constantine  were  slain  in 
Gaul,  which  they  had  made  the  seat  of  their  empire,  to  the  entire  neglect 
of  Britain. 

N   2 


180  Geoffrey's  British  histort.        [bookti.ch.7. 


Chap.    VII. —  Vortigern  treacherously  contrives  to  get  king  Constant 
assassinated, 

Constans,  being  thus  advanced,  committed  the  whole 
government  of  the  kingdom  to  Vortigern,  and  surrendered 
himself  up  so  entirely  to  his  counsels,  that  he  did  nothing 
without  his  order.  His  own  incapacity  for  government 
obliged  him  to  do  this,  for  he  had  learned  any  thing  else 
rather  than  state  affairs  within  his  cloister.  Vortigern 
became  sensible  of  this,  and  therefore  began  to  deliberate 
with  himself  what  course  to  take  to  obtain  the  crown,  of 
which  he  had  been  before  extremely  ambitious.  He  saw 
that  now  was  his  proper  time  to  gain  his  end  easily,  when 
the  kingdom  was  wholly  intrusted  to  his  management ;  and 
Constans,  who  bore  the  title  of  king,  was  no  more  than  the 
shadow  of  one  ;  for  he  was  of  a  soft  temper,  a  bad  judge  in 
matters  of  right,  and  not  in  the  least  feared,  either  by  his 
own  people,  or  by  the  neighbouring  states.  And  as  for  his 
two  brothers,  Uther  Pendragon  and  Aurelius  Ambrosius, 
they  were  only  children  in  their  cradles,  and  therefore 
incapable  of   the  government,    f  There  was  likewise  this 

_  farther  misfortune,  that  all  the  older  persons  of  the  nobility 
were  dead,  so  that  Vortigern  seemed  to  be  the  only  man 
surviving,  that  had  craft,  policy,  and  experience  in  matters 
of  state  ;  and  all  the  rest  in  a  manner  children,  or  raw 
youths,  who  only  inherited  the  honours  of  theirparents  and 
relations  that  had  been  killed  in  the  former  warsj  Vortigern, 
finding  a  concurrence  of  so  many  favourable  circumstances, 
contrived  how  he  might  easily  and  cunningly  depose  Constans 
the  monk,  and  immediately  establish  himself  in  his  place. 
But  in  order  to  do  this,  he  waited  until  he  had  first  well 
established  his  power  and  interest  in  several  countries.  He 
therefore  petitioned  to  have  the  king's  treasures,  and  his 

^fortified  cities,  in  his  own  custody  ;  pretending  there  was  a 
rumour,  that  the  neighbouring  islanders  designed  an  invasion 
of  the  kingdom.  This  being  granted  him,  he  placed  his  own 
creatures  in  those  cities,  to  secure  them  for  himself.  Then 
having  formed  a  scheme  how  to  execute  his  treasonable 
designs,  he  went  to  the  king,  and  represented  to  him  the 
iiecessity  of  augmenting  the  number  of  his  domestics,  that 


*.i>.410.]  VORTIGERN   SUPPLANTS   CONSTANS.  181 

he  might  more  safely  oppose  the  invasion  of  the  enemy. 
"  Have  not  I  left  all  things  to  your  disposal  ?"  said  Constans: 
"  Do  what  you  will  as  to  that,  so  that  they  be  but  faithful  to 
me."  Vortigern  replied,  "  I  am  informed  that  the  Picts  are 
going  to  bring  the  Dacians  and  Norwegians  in  upon  us,  with 
a  design  to  give  us  very  great  annoyance.  I  would  therefore 
advise  you,  and  in  my  opinion  it  is  the  best  course  you  can 
take,  that  you  maintain  some  Picts  in  your  court,  who  may 
do  you  good  service  among  those  of  that  nation.  For  if  it 
is  true  that  they  are  preparing  to  begin  a  rebellion,  you  may 
employ  them  as  spies  upon  their  countrymen  in  their  plots 
and  stratagems,  so  as  easily  to  escape  them.,,  This  was  the 
dark  treason  of  a  secret  enemy  ;  for  he  did  not  recommend 
this  out  of  regard  to  the  safety  of  Constans,  but  because  he 
knew  the  Picts  to  be  a  giddy  people,  and  ready  for  all 
manner  of  wickedness  ;  so  that,  in  a  fit  of  drunkenness  or 
passion,  they  might  easily  be  incensed  against  the  king,  and 
make  no  scruple  to  assassinate  him.  And  such  an  accident, 
when  it  should  happen,  would  make  an  open  way  for  his 
accession  to  the  throne,  which  he  so  often  had  in  view. 
Hereupon  he  despatched  messengers  into  Scotland,  with  an 
invitation  to  a  hundred  Pictish  soldiers,  whom  accordingly* — " 
he  received  into  the  king's  household  ;  and  when  admitted, 
he  showed  them  more  respect  than  all  the  rest  of  the  domes- 
tics, by  making  them  several  presents,  and  allowing  them  a 
luxurious  table,  insomuch  that  they  looked  upon  him  as  the*"^ 
king.  So  great  was  the  regard  they  had  for  him,  that  they 
made  songs  of  him  about  the  streets,  the  subject  of  which 
was,  that  Vortigern  deserved  the  government,  deserved  the 
sceptre  of  Britain  ;  but  that  Constans  was  unworthy  of  it. 
This  encouraged  Vortigern  to  show  them  still  more  favour, 
in  order  the  more  firmly  to  engage  them  in  his  interest ;  and 
when  by  these  practices  he  had  made  them  entirely  his 
creatures,  he  took  an  opportunity,  when  they  were  drunk,  to 
tell  them,  that  he  was  going  to  retire  out  of  Britain,  to  see  if 
he  could  get  a  better  estate  ;  for  the  small  revenue  he  had 
then,  he  said,  would  not  so  much  as  enable  him  to  maintain  a 
retinue  of  fifty  men.  Then  putting  on  a  look  of  sadness,  he 
withdrew  to  his  own  apartment,  and  left  them  drinking  in 
the  hall.  The  Picts  at  this  sight  were  in  inexpressible  sorrow, 
as  thinking  what  he  had  said  was  true,  and  murmuring  said 


182  Geoffrey's  British  history,    [book  vi.  ch.  e,  a. 

one  to  another,  "  Why  do  we  suffer  this  monk  to  live  ?  Why 
do  not  we  kill  him,  that  Vortigern  may  enjoy  his  crown  ? 
Who  is  so  fit  to  succeed  as  he  ?  A  man  so  generous  to  us  is 
worthy  to  rule,  and  deserves  all  the  honour  and  dignity  that 
we  can  bestow  upon  him." 

Chap.    VIII. — Aurelius  Ambrosius  and  Uther  Pendragon  flee  /rem 
Vortigern,  and  go  to  Lesser  Britain. 

After  this,  breaking  into  Constan's  bed-chamber,  they  fell 
upon  him  and  killed  him,  and  carried  his  head  to  Vortigern. 
At  the  sight  of  it,  he  put  on  a  mournful  countenance,  and 
burst  forth  into  tears,  though  at  the  same  time  he  was 
almost  transported  with  joy.  However,  he  summoned 
together  the  citizens  of  London,  (for  there  the  fact  was 
committed,)  and  commanded  all  the  assassins  to  be  bound, 
and  their  heads  to  be  cut  off  for  this  abominable  parricide. 
In  the  meantime  there  were  some  who  had  a  suspicion,  that 
this  piece  of  villany  was  wholly  the  contrivance  of  Vortigern, 
and  that  the  Picts  were  only  his  instruments  to  execute  it. 
Others  again  as  positively  asserted  his  innocence.  At  last 
the  matter  being  left  in  doubt,  those  who  had  the  care  of  the 
two  brothers,  Aurelius  Ambrosius,  and  Uther  Pendragon, 
fled  over  with  them  into  Lesser  Britain,  for  fear  of  being 
killed  by  Vortigern.  There  they  were  kindly  received  by 
king  Budes,  who  took  care  to  give  them  an  education  suitable 
to  their  royal  birth. 

Chap.  IX, —  Vortigern  makes  himself  king  of  Britain. 

Now  Vortigern,  seeing  nobody  to  rival  him  in  the  kingdom, 
v^placed  the  crown  on  his  own  head,  and  thus  gained  the  pre- 
eminence over  all  the  rest  of  the  princes.  At  last  his  treason 
being  discovered,  the  people  of  the  adjacent  islands,  whom 

,-the  Picts  had  brought  into  Albania,  made  insurrection 
against  him.  For  the  Picts  were  enraged  on  account  of  the 
death  of  their  fellow  soldiers,  who  had  been  slain  for  the 
murder  of  Constans,  and  endeavoured  to  revenge  that  injury 
upon  him.     Vortigern  therefore  was  daily  in  great  distress, 

•'and  lost  a  considerable  part  of  his  army  in  a  war  with  them. 
He  had  likewise  no  less  trouble  from  another  quarter,  for 
fear  of  Aurelius  Ambrosius,  and  his  brother  Uther  Pendrft- 


a.d.449.]  THE  SAXONS  ASSIST  VORTIGERN.  183 

gon,  who,  as  we  said  before,  had  fled,  on  his  account,  into 
Lesser  Britain.     For  he  heard  it  rumoured,  day  after  day, 
that  they  had  now  arrived  at  man's  estate,  and  had  built  a 
vast  fleet,  with  a  design  to  return  back  to  the  kingdom,  which" 
was  their  undoubted  right 


Chap.  X. — Vortigem  takes  the  Saxons  that  were  new-comers,  to  his 
assistance. 

In  the  meantime  there  arrived  in  Kent  three  brigandines,  or 
long  galleys,  full  of  armed  men,  toffer  the  command  of  two 
brothers,  Horsa  and  Hengist.*  Vortigern  was  then  at 
Dorobernia,  now  Canterbury,  which  city  he  used  often  to 
visit ;  and  being  informed  of  the  arrival  of  some  tall 
strangers  in^  large  ships,  he  ordered  that  they  shoulcTbe 
received  peaceably,  and  conducted  into  his  presence.  As 
soon  as  they  were  brought  before  him,  he  cast  his  eyes  upon 
the  two  brothers,  who  excelled  all  the  rest  both  in  nobility 
and  gracefulness  of  person  ;  and  having  taken  a  view  of  the 
whole  company,  asked  them  of  what  country  they  were,  and 
what  was  the  occasion  of  their  coming  into  his  kingdom. 
To  whom  Hengist  (whose  years  and  wisdom  entitled  him  to 
a  precedence),  in  the  name  of  the  rest,  made  the  following 
answer :  — 

"  Most  noble  king,  Saxony,  which  is  one  of  the  countries 
of  Germany,  was  the~place"bf  our  birth ;  and  the  occasion 
of  our  coining  was  to  offer  our  service  to  frou  or  some  other 
prince.  TFor  we  were  driven  out  of  our  native  country,  for 
no  other-reason,  but  that  the  laws  of  the  kingdom  required 
it.  It  is  customary  among'  us,  that  when  we  come  to  be 
overstocked  with  people,  our  princes  from  all  the  provinces 
meet  together,  and  command  all  the  youths  of  the  kingdom 
to  assemble  before  them  ;  then  casting  lots,  they  make  choice 
of  the  strongest  and  ablest  of  them,  to  go  into  foreign  nations, 
to  procure  themselves  a  subsistence,  and  free  their  native 
country  from  a  superfluous  multitude  of  people.  Our 
country,  therefore,  being  of  late  overstocked,  our  princes 
met,  and  after  having  cast  lots,  made  choice  of  the  youtj? 
which  you  see  in  your  presence,  and  have  obliged  us  to  obey 

*  It  is  the  generally  received  opinion  that  Hengist  and  Horsa  landed  in 
Britain  A..D.  449. 


#- 


184  GEOFFREYS  BRITISH  HISTORY.  [bookti.ch.11. 

the  custom  which  has  been  established  of  old.  And  us  two 
brothers,  Hengist  and  Horsa,  they  made  generals  over  them, 
out  of  respect  to  our  ancestors,  who  enjoyed  the  same  honour. 
In  obedience,  therefore,  to  the  laws  so  long  established,  we 
put  out  to  sea,  and  under  the  good  guidance  of  Mercury 
have  arrived  in  your  kingdom." 

The  king,  at  the  name  of  Mercury,  looking  earnestly  upon 
them,  asked  them  what  religion  they  professed.  "  We  wor- 
ship," replied  Hengist,  "  our  country's  gods,  Saturn  and  Jupi- 
ter, and  the  other  deities  that  govern  the  world,  but  especially 
"Mercury,  whom  in  our  language  we  call  Wp^er^  and  to 
whom  our  ancestors  consecrated  the  fourth  day  of  the  week, 
still  called  after  his  name  Wodensday.  Next  to  him  we 
worship  the  powerful  goddess,  Frea,,  to  whom  they  also  dedi- 
cated the  sixth  day,  which  after  her  name  we  call  Friday." 
Vortigern  replied,  "  For  your  credulity,  or  rather  incredulity, 
I  am  much  grieved,  but  I  rejoice  at  your  arrival,  which, 
whether  by  God's  providence  or  some  other  agency,  happens 
very  seasonably  for  me  in  my  present  difficulties.  (jFor  I  am 
oppressed  by  my  enemies  on  every  side,  and  if  you  will 
engage  with  me  in  my  wars,  I  will  entertain  you  honourably 
in  my  kingdom,  and  bestow  upon  you  lands  and  other  pos- 
sessions." The  barbarians  readily  accepted  his  offer,  and 
the  agreement  between  them  being  ratified,  they  resided  at 
his  court.  Soon  after  this,  the  Picts,  issuing  forth  from 
Albania,  with  a  very  great  army,  began  to  lay  waste  the 
northern  parts  of  the  island.  When  Vortigern  had  inform- 
ation of  it,  he  assembled  his  forces,  and  went  to  meet  them 
beyond  the  Humber.  Upon  their  engaging,  the  battle 
proved  very  fierce  on  both  sides,  though  there  was  but  little 
occasion  for  the  Britons  to  exert  themselves,  for  the  Saxons 
fought  so  bravely,  that  the  enemy,  formerly  so  victorious, 
were  speedily  put  to  flighO 

Chap.  XI. — Hengist  brings  over  great  numbers  of  Saxons  into  Britain: 
his  crafty  petition  to  Vortigern, 

Vortigern,  therefore,  as  he  owed  the  victory  to  them,  in- 
creased his  bounty  to  them,  and  gave  their  general,  Hengist, 
I  large  possessions  of  land  in  Lindesia,*  for  the  subsistence  of 

*  Or  Lindsey.    See  Bede's  Eccles.  Hist.  p.  99 ,  note. 


A.D.  450.]  hengist's  petition.  185 

himself  and  his  fellow  soldiers.  Hereupon  Hengist,  who 
was  a  man  of  experience  and  subtilty,  finding  how  much 
interest  he  had  with  the  king,  addressed  him  in  this  manner : 
— "  Sir,  your  enemies  give  you  disturbance  from  all  quarters, 
and  few  of  your  subjects  love  you.  They  all  threaten  you,  i 
and  say,  they  are  going  to  bring  over  Aurelius  Ambrosius!) 
from  Armorica,  to  depose  you,  and  make  him  king.  If  you] 
please,  let  us  send  to  our  country  to  invite  over  some  morel 
soldiers,  that  with  our  forces  increased  we  may  be  better! 
able  to  oppose  them.  But  there  is  one  thing  which  I  would 
desire  of  your  clemency,  if  I  did  not  fear  a  refusal."  Vorti- 
gern  made  answer,  "  Send  your  messengers  to  Germany,  and 
invite  over  whom  you  please,  and  you  shall  have  no  refusal 
from  me  in  whatever  you  shall  desire."  /Hengist,  with  a  low 
bow,  returned  him  thanks,  and  said,  "  The  possessions  which 
you  have  given  me  in  land  and  houses  are  very  large,  but 
you  have  not  yet  done  me  that  honour  which  becomes  my 
station  and  birth,  because,  among  other  things,  I  should 
have  had  some  town  or  city  granted  me,  that  I  might  be 
entitled  to  greater  esteem  among  the  nobility  of  your  king- 
dom. I  ought  to  have  been  made  a  consul  or  prince,  since 
my  ancestors  enjoyed  both  those  dignities."  "It  is  not  in 
my  power,"  replied  Vortigern,  "  to  do  you  so  much  honour, 
because  you  are  strangers  and  pagans ;  neither  am  I  yet  so 
far  acquainted  with  your  manners  and  customs,  as  to  set  you 
upon  a  level  with  my  natural  born  subjects.  And,  indeed, 
if  I  did  esteem  you  as  my  subjects,  I  should  not  be  forward 
to  do  so,  because  the  nobility  of  my  kingdom  would  strongly 
dissuade  me  from  it/O  "  Give  your  servant,"  said  Hengist, 
"  only  so  much  ground  in  the  place  you  have  assigned  me,  y^jf" 
as  I  can  encompass  with  a  leathern  thong,  for  to  build  a  ^or"/^-^/^ 
tress  upon,  as  a  place  of  retreat  if  occasion  should  require.  IdT^  fA  t 
For  I  will  always  be  faithful  to  you,  as  I  have  been  hitherto,^*'  ~~'~ 
and  pursue  no  other  design  in  the  request  which  I  have  **  "  £A- 
made."  With  these  words  the  king  was  prevailed  upon  to 
grant  him  his  petition ;  and  ordered  him  to  despatch  messen- 
gers into  Germany,  to  invite  more  men  over  speedily  to  his 
assistance.  Hengist  immediately  executed  his  orders,  and 
taking  a  bull's  hide,  made  one  thong  out  of  the  whole,  with 
which  he  encompassed  a  rocky  place  that  he  had  carefully 
made  choice  of,  and  within  that  cfrcuit  began  to  build  a  \y\  t-  '. 


186  Geoffrey's  British  history.      Lbook  n.  ©a.  u. 

castle,  which,  when  finished,  took  its  name  from  the  thong 
wherewith  it  had  been  measured;  for  it  was  afterwards 
called,  in  the  British  tongue,  Kaercorrei ;  in  Saxon,  Than- 
castre,  that  is,  Thong  Castle.* 

Chap.  XII. — Vortigern  marries  RowenJ  the  daughter  of  Hengist.* 

In  the  meantime,  the  messengers  returned  from  Germany, 
with  eighteen  ships  full  of  the  best  soldiers  they  could  get 
1  They  also  brought  along  with  them  Rowen,  the  daughter  of 
I  Hengist,  one  of  the  most  accomplished  beauties  of  that  age. 
After  their  arrival,  Hengist  invited  the  king  to  his  house,  to 
view  his  new  buildings,  and  the  new  soldiers  that  were 
come  over.  The  king  readily  accepted  of  his  invitation,  but 
privately,  and  having  highly  commended  the  magnificence  of 
the  structure,  enlisted  the  men  into  his  service.  Here  he 
was  entertained  at  a  royal  banquet ;  and  when  that  was 
over,  the  young  lady  came  out  of  her  chamber  bearing  a 
golden  cup  full  of  wine,  with  which  she  approached  the 
king,  and  making  a  low  courtesy,  said  to  him,  "Lauerd  J  king 
wacht  heil ! "  The  king,  at  the  sight  of  the  lady's  face,  was 
on  a  sudden  both  surprised  and  inflamed  with  her  beauty ; 
.  /  and  calling  to  his  interpreter,  asked  him  what  she  said,  and 
'  i  what  answer  he  should  make  her.  "  She  called  you,  'Lord 
/  -.  king/"  said  the  interpreter,  "and  offered  to  drink  your  health. 
'  *Your  answer  to  her  must  be,  'Drinc  heil  I'"  Vortigern 
accordingly  answered,  "Drinc  heil!"  and  bade  her  drink; 
after  which  he  took  the  cup  from  her  hand,  kissed  her,  and 
drank  himself.  From  that  time  to  this,  it  has  been  the 
custom  in  Britain,  that  he  who  drinks  to  any  one  says, 
"Wacht  heil!"  and  he  that  pledges  him,  answers  "Drinc 
heil!"  Vortigern  being  now  drunk  with  the  variety  of 
liquors,  the  devil  took  this  opportunity  to  enter  into  his 
heart,  and  to  make  him  in  love  with  the  damsel,  so  that  he 
became  suitor  to  her  father  for  her.  It  was,  I  say,  by  the 
devil's  entering  into  his  heart,  that  he,  who  was  a  Christian, 
should  fall  in  love  with  a  pagan.    By  this  example,  Hengist, 

*  Now  called  Caistor,  twenty-three  miles  N.N.E.  from  Lincoln. 
t  More  commonly  and  elegantly  called  Rowena ;  Ron  wen  and  Ronwoini 
occur  in  some  of  the  MSS. 
J  That  is,  Lord. 


aj>.  420.]  ARRIVAL  OP  GERMAKT7S  AND  LUPUS.  187 

being  a  prudent  man,  discovered  the  king's  levity,  and  con- 
sulted with  his  brother  Horsa  and  the  other  ancient  men 
present,  what  to  do  in  relation  to  the  king's  request.  Thej\ 
unanimously  advised  him  to  give  him  his  daughter,  and  in  con-\ 
sideration  of  her  to  demand  the  province  of  Kent.  Accord- 
ingly the  daughter  was  without  delay  delivered  to  Vortigern, 
and  the  province  of  Kent  to  Hengist,  without  the  knowledge 
of  Gorangan,  who  had  the  government  of  it.  The  king  the 
same  night  married  the  pagan  lady,  and  became  extremely 
delighted  with  her ;  by  which  he  quickly  brought  upon  him- 
self the  hatred  of  the  nobility,  and  of  his  own  sons.  For  he 
had  already  three  sons,  whose  names  were  Vortimer,  Cati^ 
gem,  and  Fascentius. 

Chap.  XIII. — The  bishops,  Germanus  and  Lupus,  restore  the  Christian 
faith  that  had  been  corrupted  in  Britain.  Octa  and  Ebissa  are  four 
times  routed  by  Vortimer. 

At  that  time  came  St.  Germanus,  bishop  of  Auxerre,  and 
Lupus,  bishop  of  Troyes,  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  Britons. 
For  the  Christian  faith  had  been  corrupted  among  them, 
partly  by  the  pagans  whom  the  king  had  brought  into 
society  with  them,  partly  by  the  Felagian  heresy,  with 
the  poison  whereof  they  had  been  »a  long  time  infected.  But 
by  the  preaching  of  these  holy  men,  the  true  faith  and  wor- 
ship was  again  restored,  the  many  miracles  they  wrought 
giving  success  to  their  labours.  Gildas  has  in  his  elegant 
treatise  given  an  account  of  the  many  miracles  God  wrought 
by  them.  The  king  being  now,  as  we  have  said,  possessed 
of  the  lady,  Hengist  said  to  him  :  "As  I  am  your  father,  I 
claim  the  right  of  being  your  counsellor :  do  not  therefore 
slight  my  advice,  since  it  is  to  my  countrymen  you  must  owe 
the  conquest  of  all  your  enemies.  Let  us  invite  over  my 
son  Octa  and  his  brother  Ebissa,  who  are  brave  soldiers,  and 
give  them  the  countries  that  are  in  the  northern  parts  of 
Britain,  by  the  wall,  between  Deira  and  Albania.  For  they 
will  hinder  the  inroads  of  the  barbarians,  and  so  you  shall 
enjoy  peace  on  the  other  side  of  the  Humber."  Vortigern, 
complied  with  his  request,  and  ordered  them  to  invite  over 
whomsoever  they  knew  able  to  assist  him.  Immediately 
upon  the  receipt  of  this  message,  came  Octa,  Ebissa,  and 
Cherdich,  with  three^hundred  ships  filled  with  soldiers,  who 


188  Geoffrey's  British  history,      [book  ti.  ch.  is. 

were  all  kindly  received  by  Vortigern,  and  had  ample 
presents  made  them.  For  by  their  assistance  he  vanquished 
his  enemies,  and  in  every  engagement  proved  victorious. 
/  Hengist  in  the  meantime  continued  to  invite  over  more  and 
more  ships,  and  to  augment  his  numbers  daily.  Which 
when  the  Britons  observed,  they  were  afraid  of  being  be- 
trayed by  them,  and  moved  the  king  to  banish  them  out  of 
4  his  coasts.  For  it  was  contrary  to  the  rule  of  the  gospel 
that  Christians  should  hold  fellowship,  or  have  any  inter- 
course, with  pagans.  Besides  which,  the  number  of  those 
f  that  were  come  over  was  now  so  great,  that  they  were  a 
terror  to  his  subjects ;  and  nobody  could  now  know  who  was 
!a  pagan,  or  who  a  Christian,  since  pagans  married  the 
daughters  and  kinswomen  of  Christians.  These  things  they 
represented  to  the  king,  and  endeavoured  to  dissuade  him 
from  entertaining  them,  lest  they  might,  by  some  treacherous 
conspiracy,  prove  an  overmatch  for  the  native  inhabitants. 
But  Vortigern,  who  loved  them  above  all  other  nations  on 
account  of  his  wife,  was  deaf  to  their  advice.  For  this  reason 
the  Britons  quickly  desert  him,  and  unanimously  set  up  Vorti- 
mer  his  son  for  their  king ;  who  at  their  instigation  began  to 
drive  out  the  barbarians,  and  to  make  dreadful  incursions  upon 
them.  Four  battles  he  fought  with  them,  and  was  victorious 
in  all :  the  first  upon  the  river  Dereuent  ;*  the  second  upon 
the  ford  of  Epsford,  where  Horsa  and  Catigern,  another 
son  of  Vortigern,  met  and,  after  a  sharp  encounter,  killed 
each  other  ;f  the  third  upon  the  sea-shore,  where  the  enemies 
fled  shamefully  to  their  ships,  and  betook  themselves  for 
refuge  to  the  Isle  of  Thanet.  But  Vortimer  besieged  them 
there,  and  daily  distressed  them  with  his  fleet.  And  when 
they  were  no  longer  able  to  bear  the  assaults  of  the  Britons, 
they  sent  king^Vortigern,  who  was  present  with  them  in  all 
those  wars,  to  his  son  Vortimer,  to  desire  leave  to  depart,. 
and  return  back  safe  to  Germany.  And  while  a  confer- 
ence upon  this  subject  was  being  held,  they  in  the  mean- 
time went  on  board  their  long  galleys,  and,  leaving  their 
wives  and  children  behind  them,  returned  back  to  Germany. 

*  The  Dereuent  seems  to  be  the  Darent,  a  stream  which  gives  its  nam* 
to  Dartford. 

f  The  very  remarkable  monument,  called  Kit  Cotty's  house,  is  tradition- 
ally supposed  to  mark  the  grave  of  Catigern. 


a.d.  465, 472.]  VORTIMER  POISONED.  189 


Chap.  XIV. — Vortimer*8  kindness  to  his  soldiers  at  his  death. 

Vortimer,  after  this  great  success,  began  to  restore  his  sub- 
jects to  their  possessions  which  had  been  taken  from  them, 
and  to  show  them  all  marks  of  his  affection  and  esteem,  and  at 
the  instance  of  St.  Germanus  to  rebuild  their  churches.  But 
his  goodness  quickly  stirred  up  the  enmity  of  the  devil 
against  him,  who  entering  into  the  heart  of  his  stepmother 
Rowen,  excited  her  to  contrive  his  death.  For  this  purpose 
she  consulted  with  the  poisoners,  and  procured  one  who  was 
intimate  with  him,  whom  she  corrupted  with  large  and 
numerous  presents,  to  give  him  a  poisonous  draught ;  so  that 
this  brave  soldier,  as  soon  as  he  had  taken  it,  was  seized  with 
a  sudden  illness,  that  deprived  him  of  all  hopes  of  life.  Here- 
upon he  forthwith  ordered  all  his  men  to  come  to  him,  and 
having  shown  them  how  near  he  was  to  his  end,  distributed 
among  them  all  the  treasure  his  predecessors  had  heaped  up,  , 
and  endeavoured  to  comfort  them  in  their  sorrow  and  lamen- 
tation for  him,  telling  them,  he  was  only  going  the  way  of 
all  flesh.  But  he  exhorted  those  brave  and  warlike  young 
men,  who  had  attended  him  in  all  his  victories,  to  persist 
courageously  in  the  defence  of  their  country  against  all  hostile 
invasion  ;  and  with  wonderful  greatness  of  mind,  commanded 
a  brazen  pyramid  to  be  placed  in  the  port  where  the  Saxons 
used  to  land,  and  his  body  when  dead  to  be  buried  on  the 
top  of  it,  that  the  sight  of  his  tomb  might  frighten  back  the 
barbarians  to  Germany.  For  he  said  none  of  them  would 
dare  approach  the  country,  that  should  but  get  a  sight  of  his 
tomb.  Such  was  the  admirable  bravery  of  this  great  man, 
who,  as  he  had  been  a  terror  to  them  while  living,  en- 
deavoured to  be  no  less  so  when  dead.  Notwithstanding 
which,  he  was  no  sooner  dead,  than  the  Britons  had  no 
regard  to  his  orders,  but  buried  him  at  London. 

Chap.  XV. — Hengist,  having  wickedly  murdered  the  princes  of  Britain, 
keeps  Vortigem  prisoner. 

Vortigern,  after  the  death  of  his  son,  was  again  restored  to  | 
the  kingdom,  and  at  the  request  of  his  wife  sent  messengers  \ 
into  Germany  to  Hengist,  with  an  invitation  to  return  into  j 
Britain,  but  privately,  and  with  a  small  retinue,  to  prevent  a 
quarrel  between  the  barbarians  and  his  subjects.     But  Hen- 


190  Geoffrey's  British  history.       [book  vi.  ch.  ml 

I  gist,  hearing  that  Vortimer  was  dead,  raised  an  army  of  no 
less  than  three  hundred  thousand  men,  and  fitting  out  a  fleet 
returned  with  them  to  Britain.  When  Vortigern  and  the 
nobility  heard  of  the  arrival  of  so  vast  a  multitude,  they  were 
immoderately  incensed,  and,  after  consultation  together,  re- 
solved to  fight  them,  and  drive  them  from  their  coasts. 
Hengist,  being  informed  of  their  design  by  messengers  sent 
from  his  daughter,  immediately  entered  into  deliberation 
what  course  to  pursue  against  them.  After  several  strata- 
gems had  been  considered,  he  judged  it  most  feasible,  to  im- 
pose upon  the  nation  by  making  show  of  peace.  With  this 
view  he  sent  ambassadors  to  the  king,  to  declare  to  him,  that 
he  had  not  brought  so  great  a  number  of  men  for  the  pur- 
pose either  of  staying  with  him,  or  offering  any  violence  to 
the  country.  But  the  reason  why  he  brought  them,  was 
because  he  thought  Vortimer  was  yet  living,  and  that  he 
should  have  occasion  for  them  against  him,  in  case  of  an 
assault.  But  now  since  he  no  longer  doubted  of  his  being 
dead,  he  submitted  himself  and  his  people  to  the  disposal  of 
Vortigern  ;  so  that  he  might  retain  as  many  of  them  as  he 
should  think  fit,  and  whomsoever  he  rejected  Hengist  would 
allow  to  return  back  without  delay  to  Germany.  And  if 
these  terms  pleased  Vortigern,  he  desired  him  to  appoint  a 
time  and  place  for  their  meeting,  and  adjusting  matters 
according  to  his  pleasure.  When  these  things  were  repre- 
sented to  the  king,  he  was  mightily  pleased,  as  being  very 
unwilling  to  part  with  Hengist ;  and  at  last  ordered  his  sub- 
jects and  the  Saxons  to  meet  upon  the  kalends  of  May,  which 
were  now  very  near,  at  the  monastery  of  Ambrius,*  for  the 
settling  of  the  matters  above  mentioned.  The  appointment 
being  agreed  to  on  both  sides,  Hengist,  with  a  new  design  of 
villany  in  his  head,  ordered  his  soldiers  to  carry  every  one 
of  them  a  long  dagger  under  their  garments  ;  and  while  the 
j^/^  conference  should  be  held  with  the  Britons,  who  would  have 
/\^  no  suspicion  of  them,  he  would  give  them  this  word  of  com- 
mand, "  Nemet  oure  Saxas  ;"  at  which  moment  they  were  all 
to  be  ready  to  seize  boldly  every  one  his  next  man,  and  with 
his  drawn  dagger  stab  him.  Accordingly  they  all  met  at  the 
time  and  place  appointed,  and  began  to  treat  of  peace  ;  and 
when  a  fit  opportunity  offered  for  executing  his  villany, 
•  Ambresbury. 


a.d.  476]  SLAUGHTEB  OF  BRITONS.  191 

Hengist  cried  out,  "  Nemet  oure  Saxas,"  and  the  same  in- 
stant seized  Vortigern,  and  held  him  by  his  cloak.  The 
Saxons,  upon  the  signal  given,  drew  their  daggers,  and  fall- 
ing upon  the  princes,  who  little  suspected  any  such  design, 
assassinated  them  to  the  number  of  four  hundred  and  sixty 
barons  and  consuls ;  to  whose  bodies  St.  Eldad  afterwards 
gave  Christian  burial,  not  far  from  Kaercaradauc,  now  Salis- 
bury, in  a  burying-place  near  the  monastery  of  Ambrius,  the 
abbat,  who  was  the  founder  of  it.  For  they  all  came  without 
arms,  having  no  thoughts  of  anything  but  treating  of  peace  ; 
which  gave  the  others  a  fairer  opportunity  of  exercising  their 
villainous  design  against  them.  But  the  pagans  did  not 
escape  unpunished  while  they  acted  this  wickedness ;  a  great 
number  of  them  being  killed  during  this  massacre  of  their 
enemies.  For  the  Britons,  taking  up  clubs  and  stones  from 
the  ground,  resolutely  defended  themselves,  and  did  good 
execution  upon  the  traitors. 

Chap.  XVI. — E Idol's  valiant  exploit.    Hengist  forces  Vortigern  to  yield 
up  the  strongest  fortifications  in  Britain,  in  consideration  of  his  release. 

There  was  present  one  Eldol,  consul*  of  Gloucester,  who, 
at  the  sight  of  this  treachery,  took  up  a  stake  which  he  hap- 
pened to  find,  and  with  that  made  his  defence.  Every  blow 
he  gave  carried  death  along  with  it ;  and  by  breaking 
either  the  head,  arms,  shoulders,  or  legs  of  a  great  many,  he 
struck  no  small  terror  into  the  traitors,  nor  did  he  move  from 
the  spot  before  he  had  killed  with  that  weapon  seventy  men. 
But  being  no  longer  able  to  stand  his  ground  against  such 
numbers,  he  made  his  escape  from  them,  and  retired  to  his 
own  city.  Many  fell  on  both  sides,  but  the  Saxons  got  the 
victory ;  because  the  Britons,  having  no  suspicion  of  treachery, 
came  unarmed,  and  therefore  made  a  weaker  defence.  After 
the  commission  of  this  detestable  villany,  the  Saxons  would 
not  kill  Vortigern  ;  but  having  threatened  him  with  death 
and  bound  him,  demanded  his  cities  and  fortified  places  in 
consideration  of  their  granting  him  his  life.  He,  to  secure 
himself,  denied  them  nothing  ;  and  when  they  had  made  him 
confirm  his  grants  with  an  oath,  they  released  him  from  his 
chains,  and  then  marched  first  to  London,  which  they  took, 
as  they  did  afterwards  York,  Lincoln,  and  Winchester  ; 
*  This  term  must  be  considered  as  equivalent  to  comes,  count,  or  earl. 


192  Geoffrey's  British  history.       [book  n.  ch.  17. 

wasting  the  countries  through  which  they  passed,  and  de- 
stroying the  people,  as  wolves  do  sheep  when  left  by  their 
shepherds.  When  Vortigern  saw  the  desolation  which  they 
made,  he  retired  into  the  parts  of  Cambria,  not  knowing 
what  to  do  against  so  barbarous  a  people. 

Chap.  XVII. — Vortigern,  after  consultation  with  magicians,  orders  a 
youth  to  be  brought  that  never  had  a  father. 

At  last  he  had  recourse  to  magicians  for  their  advice,  and 
commanded  them  to  tell  him  what  course  to  take.  They 
advised  him  to  build  a  very  strong  tower  for  his  own  safety, 
since  he  had  lost  all  his  other  fortified  places.  Accordingly 
he  made  a  progress  about  the  country,  to  find  out  a  conve- 
nient situation,  and  came  at  last  to  Mount  Erir,  where  he 
assembled  workmen  from  several  countries,  and  ordered  them 
to  build  the  tower.  The  builders,  therefore,  began  to  lay 
the  foundation ;  but  whatever  they  did  one  day  the  earth 
swallowed  up  the  next,  so  as  to  leave  no  appearance  of  their 
work.  Vortigern  being  informed  of  this  again  consulted 
•with  his  magicians  concerning  the  cause  of  it,  who  told  him 
that  he  must  find  out  a  youth  that  never  had  a  father,  and 
kill  him,  and  then  sprinkle  the  stones  and  cement  with  his 
blood  ;  for  by  those  means,  they  said,  he  would  have  a  firm 
foundation.  Hereupon  messengers  were  despatched  away 
over  all  the  provinces,  to  inquire  out  such  a  man.  In  their 
travels  they  came  to  a  city,  called  afterwards  Kaermerdin, 
where  they  saw  some  young  men,  playing  before  the  gate, 
and  went  up  to  them  ;  but  being  weary  with  their  journey, 
they  sat  down  in  the  ring,  to  see  if  they  could  meet  with 
what  they  were  in  quest  of.  Towards  evening,  there  hap- 
pened on  a  sudden  a  quarrel  between  two  of  the  young  men, 
whose  names  were  Merlin  and  Dabutius.  In  the  dispute, 
Dabutius  said  to  Merlin  :  "  You  fool,  do  you  presume  to 
quarrel  with  me  ?  Is  there  any  equality  in  our  birth  ?  I  am 
descended  of  royal  race,  both  by  my  father  and  mother's  side. 
As  for  you,  nobody  knows  what  you  are,  for  you  never  had  a 
father."  At  that  word  the  messengers  looked  earnestly  upon 
Merlin,  and  asked  the  by-standers  who  he  was.  They  told 
him,  it  was  not  known  who  was  his  father  ;  but  that  his 
mother  was  daughter  to  the  king  of  Dimetia,  and  that  she 
lived  in  St.  Peter's  church  among  the  nuns  of  that  city. 


A.t).  477.J  merlin's  origin.  193 

Chap.  XVIII. — Vortigern  inquires  of  Merlin's  mother  concerning  her 
conception  of  him. 

Upon  this  the  messengers  hastened  to  the  governor  of  the 
city,  and  ordered  him,  in  the  king's  name,  to  send  Merlin  and 
his  mother  to  the  king.  As  soon  as  the  governor  understood 
the  occasion  of  their  message,  he  readily  obeyed  the  order, 
and  sent  them  to  Vortigern  to  complete  his  design.  When 
they  were  introduced  into  the  king's  presence,  he  received 
the  mother  in  a  very  respectful  manner,  on  account  of  her 
noble  birth  ;  and  began  to  inquire  of  her  by  what  man  she 
had  conceived.  "  My  sovereign  lord,"  said  she,  "  by  the  life 
of  your  soul  and  mine,  I  know  nobody  that  begot  him  of  me. 
Only  this  I  know,  that  as  I  was  once  with  my  companions  in 
our  chambers,  there  appeared  to  me  a  person  in  the  shape  of 
a  most  beautiful  young  man,  who  often  embraced  me  eagerly 
in  his  arms,  and  kissed  me  ;  and  when  he  had  stayed  a  little 
time,  he  suddenly  vanished  out  of  my  sight.  But  many 
times  after  this  he  would  talk  with  me  when  I  sat  alone, 
without  making  any  visible  appearance.  When  he  had  a 
long  time  haunted  me  in  this  manner,  he  at  last  lay  with  me 
several  times  in  the  shape  of  a  man,  and  left  me  with  child. 
And  I  do  affirm  to  you,  my  sovereign  lord,  that  excepting 
that  young  man,  I  know  no  body  that  begot  him  of 
me."  The  king  full  of  admiration  at  this  account,  ordered 
Maugantius  to  be  called,  that  he  might  satisfy  him  as  to  the 
possibility  of  what  the  woman  had  related.  Maugantius, 
being  introduced,  and  having  the  whole  matter  repeated  to 
him,  said  to  Vortigern  :  "  In  the  books  of  our  philosophers, 
and  in  a  great  many  histories,  I  have  found  that  several  men 
have  had  the  like  original.  For,  as  Apuleius  informs  us  in 
his  book  concerning  the  Demon  of  Socrates,  between  the 
moon  and  the  earth  inhabit  those  spirits,  which  we  will  call 
incubuses.  These  are  of  the  nature  partly  of  men,  and 
partly  of  angels,  and  whenever  they  please  assume  human 
shapes,  and  lie  with  women.  Perhaps  one  of  them  appeared 
to  this  woman,  and  begot  that  young  man  of  her." 

Chap.  XIX. — Merlin *s  speech  to  the  king's  magicians,  and  advice  about 
the  building  of  the  tower. 

Merlin  in  the  meantime  was  attentive  to  all  that  had 
passed,  and  then  approached  the  king,  and  said  to  him,  "For 

o 


194  Geoffrey's  British  history.       [bookto.ch.1, 

what  reason  am  I  and  my  mother  introduced  into  your  pre- 
sence?"— "My  magicians,"  answered  Vortigern,  "advised 
me  to  seek  out  a  man  that  had  no  father,  with  whose  blood 
my  building  is  to  be  sprinkled,  in  order  to  make  it  stand." — 
"  Order  your  magicians,"  said  Merlin,  "  to  come  before  me, 
and  I  will  convict  them  of  a  lie."  The  king  was  surprised 
at  his  words,  and  presently  ordered  the  magicians  to  come, 
and  sit  down  before  Merlin,  who  spoke  to  them  after  this 
manner  :  "  Because  you  are  ignorant  what  it  is  that  hinders 
the  foundation  of  the  tower,  you  have  recommended  the 
shedding  of  my  blood  for  cement  to  it,  as  if  that  would  pre- 
sently make  it  stand.  But  tell  me  now,  what  is  there  under 
the  foundation  ?  For  something  there  is  that  will  not  suffer 
it  to  stand."  The  magicians  at  this  began  to  be  afraid,  and 
made  him  no  answer.  Then  said  Merlin,  who  was  also  called 
Ambrose,  "I  entreat  your  majesty  would  command  your 
workmen  to  dig  into  the  ground,  and  you  will  find  a  pond 
which  causes  the  foundation  to  sink."  This  accordingly  was 
done,  and  then  presently  they  found  a  pond  deep  under 
ground,  which  had  made  it  give  way.  Merlin  after  this  went 
again  to  the  magicians,  and  said,  "  Tell  me  ye  false  syco- 
phants, what  is  there  under  the  pond."  But  they  were 
silent.  Then  said  he  again  to  the  king,  "  Command  the  pond 
to  be  drained,  and  at  the  bottom  you  will  see  two  hollow 
stones,  and  in  them  two  dragons  asleep."  The  king  made 
no  scruple  of  believing  him,  since  he  had  found  true  what 
he  said  of  the  pond,  and  therefore  ordered  it  to  be  drained : 
which  done,  he  found  as  Merlin  had  said ;  and  now  was 
possessed  with  the  greatest  admiration  of  him.  Nor  were 
the  rest  that  were  present  less  amazed  at  his  wisdom,  think- 
ing it  to  be  no  less  than  divine  inspiration. 


BOOK  VII. 

CONCERNING   THE   PROPHECIES   OF   MERLIN. 


Chap.  I. — Geoffrey  of  Monmouth's  preface  to  Merlin? *  prophecy, 

I  had  not  got  thus  far  in  my  history,  when  the  subject  of 
public  discourse  happening  to  be  concerning  Merlin,  I  was 
obliged  to  publish   his  prophecies  at  the  request  of  my 


a.d.  480.]  Geoffrey's  letter  to  Alexander.  1 95 

acquaintance,  but  especially  of  Alexander,  bishop  of  Lincoln, 
a  prelate  of  the  greatest  piety  and  wisdom.  There  was  not 
any  person,  either  among  the  clergy  or  laity,  that  was  at- 
tended with  such  a  train  of  knights  and  noblemen,  whom 
his  settled  piety  and  great  munificence  engaged  in  his 
service.  Out  of  a  desire,  therefore,  to  gratify  him,  I  trans- 
lated these  prophecies,  and  sent  them  to  him  with  the 
following  letter. 

Chap.  II. — Geoffrey's  letter  to  Alexander,  bishop  of  Lincoln, 

"  The  regard  which  I  owe  to  your  great  worth,  most  noble 
prelate,  has  obliged  me  to  undertake  the  translation  of  Mer- 
lin's prophecies  out  of  British  into  Latin,  before  I  had  made 
an  end  of  the  history  which  I  had  begun  concerning  the  acts 
of  the  British  kings.  For  my  design  was  to  have  finished 
that  first,  and  afterwards  to  have  taken  this  work  in  hand ; 
lest  by  being  engaged  on  both  at  once,  I  should  be  less 
capable  of  attending  with  any  exactness  to  either.  Notwith- 
standing, since  the  deference  which  is  paid  to  your  penetrat- 
ing judgment  will  screen  me  from  censure,  I  have  employed 
my  rude  pen,  and  in  a  coarse  style  present  you  with  a  trans- 
lation out  of  a  language  with  which  you  are  unacquainted. 
At  the  same  time,  I  cannot  but  wonder  at  your  recommend- 
ing this  matter  to  one  of  my  low  genius,  when  you  might 
have  caused  so  many  men  of  greater  learning,  and  a  richer 
vein  of  intellect,  to  undertake  it ;  who,  with  their  sublime 
strains,  would  much  more  agreeably  have  entertained  you. 
Besides,  without  any  disparagement  to  all  the  philosophers 
in  Britain,  I  must  take  the  liberty  to  say,  that  you  yourself, 
if  the  business  of  your  high  station  would  give  you  leisure, 
are  capable  of  furnishing  us  with  loftier  productions  of  this 
kind  than  any  man  living.  However,  since  it  was  your 
pleasure  that  Geoffrey  of  Monmouth  should  be  employed  in 
this  prophecy,  he  hopes  you  will  favourably  accept  of  hi* 
performance,  and  vouchsafe  to  give  a  finer  turn  to  whatever 
you  shall  find  unpolished,  or  otherwise  faulty  in  it. 

Chap.  III. — The  prophecy  of  Merlin, 

As  Vortlgern,  king  of  the  Britons,  was  sitting  upon  the 
bank  of  the  drained  pond,  the  two  dragons,  one  of  which 

o  2 


196  Geoffrey's  British  history.      [book  til  ch.  & 

was  white,  the  other  red,  came  forth,  and,  approaching  one 
another,  began  a  terrible  fight,  and  cast  forth  fire  with  their 
breath.  But  the  white  dragon  had  the  advantage,  and  made 
the  other  fly  to  the  end  of  the  lake.  And  he,  for  grief  at 
his  flight,  renewed  the  assault  upon  his  pursuer,  and  forced 
him  to  retire.  After  this  battle  of  the  dragons,  the  king 
commanded  Ambrose  Merlin  to  tell  him  what  it  portended. 
Upon  which  he,  bursting  into  tears,  delivered  what  his  pro- 
phetical spirit  suggested  to  him,  as  follows : — * 

"  Woe  to  the  red  dragon,  for  his  banishment  hasteneth  on. 
His  lurking  holes  shall  be  siezed  by  the  white  dragon,  which 
signifies  the  Saxons  whom  you  invited  over;  but  the  red 
denotes  the  British  nation,  which  shall  be  oppressed  by 
the  white.  Therefore  shall  its  mountains  be  levelled  as  the 
valleys,  and  the  rivers  of  the  valleys  shall  run  with  blood. 
The  exercise  of  religion  shall  be  destroyed,  and  churches 
be  laid  open  to  ruin.  At  last  the  oppressed  shall  prevail, 
and  oppose  the  cruelty  of  foreigners.  For  a  boar  of  Corn- 
wall shall  give  his  assistance,  and  trample  their  necks  under 
his  feet.  The  islands  of  the  ocean  shall  be  subject  to  his 
power,  and  he  shall  possess  the  forests  of  Gaul.  The  house 
of  Eomulus  shall  dread  his  courage,  and  his  end  shall  be 
doubtful.  He  shall  be  celebrated  in  the  mouths  of  the 
people ;  and  his  exploits  shall  be  food  to  those  that  relate  them. 
Six  of  his  posterity  shall  sway  the  sceptre,  but  after  them 
shall  arise  a  German  worm.  He  shall  be  advanced  by  a  sea- 
wolf,  whom  the  woods  of  Africa  shall  accompany.  Religion 
shall  be  again  abolished,  and  there  shall  be  a  translation  of 
the  metropolitan  sees.  The  dignity  of  London  shall  adorn 
Dorobernia,  and  the  seventh  pastor  of  York  shall  be  resorted 
to  in  the  kingdom  of  Armorica.  Menevia  shall  put  on  the 
pall  of  the  City  of  Legions,  and  a  preacher  of  Ireland  shall 
be  dumb  on  account  of  an  infant  growing  in  the  womb.  It 
shall  rain  a  shower  of  blood,  and  a  raging  famine  shall  afflict 
mankind.     When  these  things  happen,  the  red  one  shall  be 

*  The  prophecy  which  follows  has  been  commented  on  by  various 
writers,  who  have  taken  the  trouble  to  point  out  the  events  in  TfrTgK«h  his- 
tory which  answer  to  the  various  predictions  which  it  contains.  Soch 
labour  seems  to  be  altogether  superfluous  in  the  present  day :  the  prophecy 
may  be  allowed  to  remain  as  an  illustration  of  the  absurd  credutifcy  of 
iormer  times. 


a.i>.  480]  MERLM8   PROPHECY.  197 

grieved;  but  when  his  fatigue  is  over,  shall  grow  strong. 
Then  shall  misfortunes  hasten  upon  the  white  one, 
and  the  buildings  of  his  gardens  shall  be  pulled  down. 
Seven  that  sway  the  sceptre  shall  be  killed,  one  of  whom 
shall  become  a  saint.  The  wombs  of  mothers  shall  be  ripped 
up,  and  infants  be  abortive.  There  shall  be  a  most  grievous 
punishment  of  men,  that  the  natives  may  be  restored.  He 
that  shall  do  these  things  shall  put  on  the  brazen  man,  and 
upon  a  brazen  horse  shall  for  a  long  time  guard  the  gates  of 
London.  After  this,  shall  the  red  dragon  return  to  his 
proper  manners,  and  turn  his  rage  upon  himself.  Therefore 
shall  the  revenge  of  the  Thunderer  show  itself,  for  every 
field  shall  disappoint  the  husbandmen.  Mortality  shall 
snatch  away  the  people,  and  make  a  desolation  over  all 
countries.  The  remainder  shall  quit  their  native  soil,  and 
make  foreign  plantations.  A  blessed  king  shall  prepare  a 
fleet,  and  shall  be  reckoned  the  twelfth  in  the  court  among  the 
saints.  There  shall  be  a  miserable  desolation  of  the  king- 
dom, and  the  floors  of  the  harvests  shall  return  to  the  fruit- 
ful forests.  The  white  dragon  shall  rise  again,  and  invite 
over  a  daughter  of  Germany.  Our  gardens  shall  be  again 
replenished  with  foreign  seed,  and  the  red  one  shall  pine 
away  at  the  end  of  the  pond.  After  that,  shall  the  German 
worm  be  crowned,  and  the  brazen  prince  buried.  He  has 
his  bounds  assigned  him,  which  he  shall  not  be  able  to  pass. 
For  a  hundred  and  fifty  years  he  shall  continue  in  trouble 
and  subjection,  but  shall  bear  sway  three  hundred.  Then 
shall  the  north  wind  rise  against  him,  and  shall  snatch  away 
the  flowers  which  the  west  wind  produced.  There  shall  be 
gilding  in  the  temples,  nor  shall  the  edge  of  the  sword  cease. 
The  German  dragon  shall  hardly  get  to  his  holes,  because  the 
revenge  of  his  treason  shall  overtake  him.  At  last  he  shall 
flourish  for  a  little  time,  but  the  decimation  of  Neustria  shall 
hurt  him.  For  a  people  in  wood  and  in  iron  coats  shall 
come,  and  revenge  upon  him  his  wickedness.  They  shall 
restore  the  ancient  inhabitants  to  their  dwellings,  and  there 
shall  be  an  open  destruction  of  foreigners.  The  seed  of  the 
white  dragon  shall  be  swept  out  of  our  gardens,  and  the 
remainder  of  his  generation  shall  be  decimated.  They  shall 
bear  the  yoke  of  slavery,  and  wound  their  mother  with 
spades  and  ploughs.     After  this  shall  succeed  two  dragons, 


198  Geoffrey's  British  history.         [booktu.cb.3. 

whereof  one  shall  be  killed  with  the  sting  of  envy,  but  the 
other  shall  return  under  the  shadow  of  a  name.  Then  shall 
succeed  a  lion  of  justice,  at  whose  roar  the  Gallican  towers 
and  the  island  dragons  shall  tremble.  In  those  days  gold 
shall  be  squeezed  from  the  lily  and  the  nettle,  and  silver  shall 
flow  from  the  hoofs  of  bellowing  cattle.  The  frizzled  shall 
put  on  various  fleeces,  and  the  outward  habit  denote  the  in- 
ward parts.  The  feet  of  barkers  shall  be  cut  off;  wild 
beasts  shall  enjoy  peace ;  mankind  shall  be  grieved  at  their 
punishment ;  the  form  of  commerce  shall  be  divided ;  the 
half  shall  be  round.  The  ravenousness  of  kites  shall  be  de- 
stroyed, and  the  teeth  of  wolves  blunted.  The  lion's  whelps 
shall  be  transformed  into  sea-fishes ;  and  an  eagle  shall  build 
her  nest  upon  Mount  Aravius.  Venedotia  shall  grow  red 
with  the  blood  of  mothers,  and  the  house  of  Corineus  kill 
six  brethren.  The  island  shall  be  wet  with  night  tears ;  so 
that  all  shall  be  provoked  to  all  things.  Woe  to  thee,  Neus- 
tria,  because  the  lion's  brain  shall  be  poured  upon  thee ;  and 
he  shall  be  banished  with  shattered  limbs  from  his  native 
soil.  Posterity  shall  endeavour  to  fly  above  the  high- 
est places ;  but  the  favour  of  new  comers  shall  be  exalted. 
Piety  shall  hurt  the  possessor  of  things  got  by  impiety,  till 
he  shall  have  put  on  his  Father :  therefore,  being  armed  with 
the  teeth  of  a  boar,  he  shall  ascend  above  the  tops  of  moun- 
tains, and  the  shadow  of  him  that  wears  a  helmet.  Albania 
shall  be  enraged,  and,  assembling  her  neighbours,  shall  be 
employed  in  shedding  blood.  There  shall  be  put  into  her 
jaws  a  bridle  that  shall  be  made  on  the  coast  of  Armorica. 
The  eagle  of  the  broken  covenant  shall  gild  it  over,  and  re- 
joice in  her  third  nest.  The  roaring  whelps  shall  watch, 
and,  leaving  the  woods,  shall  hunt  within  the  walls  of  cities. 
They  shall  make  no  small  slaughter  of  those  that  oppose 
them,  and  shall  cut  off  the  tongues  of  bulls.  They  shall 
load  the  necks  of  roaring  lions  with  chains,  and  restore  the 
times  of  their  ancestors.  Then  from  the  first  to  the  fourth, 
from  the  fourth  to  the  third,  from  the  third  to  the  second, 
the  thumb  shall  roll  in  oil.  The  sixth  shall  overturn  the 
walls  of  Ireland,  and  change  the  woods  into  a  plain.  He 
shall  reduce  several  parts  to  one,  and  be  crowned  with  the 
head  of  a  lion.  His  beginning  shall  lay  open  to  wandering 
affection,  but  his  end  shall  carry  him  up  to  the  blessed,  who 


a.o.  480.]  merlin's  prophecy.  199 

are  above.  For  he  shall  restore  the  seats  of  saints  in  their 
countries,  and  settle  pastors  in  convenient  places.  Two 
cities  he  shall  invest  with  two  palls,  and  shall  bestow  virgin- 
presents  upon  virgins.  He  shall  merit  by  this  the  favour  of 
the  Thunderer,  and  shall  be  placed  among  the  saints.  From 
him  shall  proceed  a  lynx  penetrating  all  things,  who  shall  be 
bent  upon  the  ruin  of  his  own  nation;  for,  through  him, 
Neustria  shall  lose  both  islands,  and  be  deprived  of  its 
ancient  dignity.  Then  shall  the  natives  return  back  to  the 
island ;  for  there  shall  arise  a  dissension  among  foreigners. 
Also  a  hoary  old  man,  sitting  upon  a  snow-white  horse, 
shall  turn  the  course  of  the  river  Periron,  and  shall  measure 
out  a  mill  upon  it  with  a  white  rod.  Cadwallader  shall  call 
upon  Conan,  and  take  Albania  into  alliance.  Then  shall 
there  be  a  slaughter  of  foreigners ;  then  shall  the  rivers  run 
with  blood.  Then  shall  break  forth  the  fountains  of  Ame- 
rica, and  they  shall  be  crowned  with  the  diadem  of  Brutus. 
Cambria  shall  be  filled  with  joy  ;  and  the  oaks  of  Cornwall 
shall  flourish.  The  island  shall  be  called  by  the  name  of 
Brutus:  and  the  name  given  it  by  foreigners  shall  be 
abolished.  From  Conan  shall  proceed  a  warlike  boar,  that 
shall  exercise  the  sharpness  of  his  tusks  within  the  Gallic 
woods.  For  he  shall  cut  down  all  the  larger  oaks,  and  shall 
be  a  defence  to  the  smaller.  The  Arabians  and  Africans 
shall  dread  him ;  for  he  shall  pursue  his  furious  course  to 
the  farther  part  of  Spain.  There  shall  succeed  the  goat  of 
the  Venereal  castle,  having  golden  horns  and  a  silver  beard, 
who  shall  breathe  such  a  cloud  out  of  his  nostrils,  as  shall 
darken  the  whole  surface  of  the  island.  There  shall  be 
peace  in  his  time ;  and  corn  shall  abound  by  reason  of  the 
fruitfulness  of  the  soil.  Women  shall  become  serpents  in 
their  gait,  and  all  their  motions  shall  be  full  of  pride.  The 
camp  of  Venus  shall  be  restored ;  nor  shall  the  arrows  of 
Cupid  cease  to  wound.  The  fountain  of  a  river  shall  be 
turned  into  blood ;  and  two  kings  shall  fight  a  duel  at  Staf- 
ford for  a  lioness.  Luxury  shall  overspread  the  whole 
ground ;  and  fornication  not  cease  to  debauch  mankind.  All 
these  things  shall  three  ages  see ;  till  the  buried  kings  shall 
be  exposed  to  public  view  in  the  city  of  London.  Famine  shall 
again  return;  mortality  shall  return;  and  the  inhabitants 
shall  grieve  for  the  destruction  of  their  cities.     Then  shall 


200  Geoffrey's  British  history.         [book  m.  en.  4. 

come  the  board  of  commerce,  who  shall  recall  the  scattered 
flocks  to  the  pasture  they  had  lost.  His  breast  shall  be  food 
to  the  hungry,  and  his  tongue  drink  to  the  thirsty.  Out  of 
his  mouth  shall  flow  rivers,  that  shall  water  the  parched  jaws 
of  men.  After  this  shall  be  produced  a  tree  upon  the 
Tower  of  London,  which,  having  no  more  than  three 
branches,  shall  overshadow  the  surface  of  the  whole  island 
with  the  breadth  of  its  leaves.  Its  adversary,  the  north 
wind,  shall  come  upon  it,  and  with  its  noxious  blast  shall 
snatch  away  the  third  branch ;  but  the  two  remaining  ones 
shall  possess  its  place,  till  they  shall  destroy  one  another 
by  the  multitude  of  their  leaves;  and  then  shall  it  ob- 
tain the  place  of  those  two,  and  shall  give  sustenance  to 
birds  of  foreign  nations.  It  shall  be  esteemed  hurtful  to 
native  fowls ;  for  they  shall  not  be  able  to  fly  freely  for  fear 
of  its  shadow.  There  shall  succeed  the  ass  of  wickedness, 
swift  against  the  goldsmiths,  but  slow  against  the  ravenous- 
ness  of  wolves.  In  those  days  the  oaks  of  the  forests  shall 
burn,  and  acorns  grow  upon  the  branches  of  teil  trees. 
The  Severn  sea  shall  discharge  itself  through  seven  mouths, 
and  the  river  Uske  burn  seven  months.  Fishes  shall  die 
with  the  heat  thereof;  and  of  them  shall  be  engendered 
serpents.  The  baths  of  Badon  shall  grow  cold,  and  their 
salubrious  waters  engender  death.  London  shall  mourn  for 
the  death  of  twenty  thousand ;  and  the  river  Thames  shall 
be  turned  into  blood.  The  monks  in  their  cowls  shall  be 
forced  to  marry,  and  their  cry  shall  be  heard  upon  the 
mountains  of  the  Alps." 

Chap.  IV. — The  continuation  of  the  prophecy. 

"  Three  springs  shall  break  forth  in  the  city  of  Winchester, 
whose  rivulets  shall  divide  the  island  into  three  parts. 
Whoever  shall  drink  of  the  first,  shall  enjoy  long  life,  and 
shall  never  be  afflicted  with  sickness.  He  that  shall  drink 
of  the  second,  shall  die  of  hunger,  and  paleness  and  horror 
shall  sit  in  his  countenance.  He  that  shall  drink  of  the 
third,  shall  be  surprised  with  suddeft  death,  neither  shall  his 
body  be  capable  of  burial.  Those  that  are  willing  to  escape 
so  great  a  surfeit,  will  endeavour  to  hide  it  with  several 
coverings:  but  whatever  bulk  shall  be  laid  upon  it>  shall 


a.d.480.]  merlin's  prophecy.  201 

receive  the  form  of  another  body.  For  earth  shall  be  turned 
into  stones  ;  stones  into  water  ;  wood  into  ashes  ;  ashes  into 
water,  if  cast  over  it.  Also  a  damsel  shall  be  sent  from  the 
city  of  the  forest  of  Canute  to  administer  a  cure,  who,  after 
she  shall  have  practised  all  her  arts,  shall  dry  up  the  noxious 
fountains  only  with  her  breath.  Afterwards,  as  soon  as  she 
shall  have  refreshed  herself  with  the  wholesome  liqour,  she 
shall  bear  in  her  right  hand  the  wood  of  Caledoh,  and  in  her 
left  the  forts  of  the  walls  of  London.  Wherever  she  shall 
go,  she  shall  make  sulphureous  steps,  which  will  smoke  with 
a  double  flame.  That  smoke  shall  rouse  up  the  city  of 
Ruteni,  and  shall  make  food  for  the  inhabitants  of  the  deep. 
She  shall  overflow  with  rueful  tears,  and  shall  fill  the  island 
with  her  dreadful  cry.  She  shall  be  killed  by  a  hart  with 
ten  branches,  four  of  which  shall  bear  golden  diadems  ;  but 
the  other  six  shall  be  turned  into  buffalo's  horns,  whose 
hideous  sound  shall  astonish  the  three  islands  of  Britain. 
The  Daneian  wood  shall  be  stirred  up,  and  breaking  forth 
into  a  human  voice,  shall  cry :  Come,  O  Cambria,  and  join 
Cornwall  to  thy  side,  and  say  to  Winchester,  the  earth  shall 
swallow  thee  up.  Translate  the  seat  of  thy  pastor  to  the 
place  where  ships  come  to  harbour,  and  the  rest  of  the 
members  will  follow  the  head.  For  the  day  hasteneth,  in 
which  thy  citizens  shall  perish  on  account  of  the  guilt  of 
perjury.  The  whiteness  of  wool  has  been  hurtful  to  thee, 
and  the  variety  of  its  tinctures.  Woe  to  the  perjured  nation, 
for  whose  sake  the  renowned  city  shall  come  to  ruin.  The 
ships  shall  rejoice  at  so  great  an  augmentation,  and  one  shall 
be  made  out  of  two.  It  shall  be  rebuilt  by  Eric,  loaden  with 
apples,  to  the  smell  whereof  the  birds  of  several  woods  shall 
flock  together.  He  shall  add  to  it  a  vast  palace,  and  wall  it 
round  with  six  hundred  towers.  Therefore  shall  London 
envy  it,  and  triply  increase  her  walls.  The  river  Thames 
shall  encompass  it  round,  and  the  fame  of  the  work  shall  pass 
beyond  the  Alps.  Eric  shall  hide  his  apples  within  it,  and 
shall  make  subterraneous  passages.  At  that  time  shall  the 
stones  speak,  and  the  sea  towards  the  Gallic  coast  be  con- 
tracted into  a  narrow  space.  On  each  bank  shall  one  man 
hear  another,  and  the  soil  of  the  island  shall  be  enlarged. 
The  secrets  of  the  deep  shall  be  revealed,  and  Gaul  shall 
tremble  for  fear.     After  these  things  shall  come  forth  a  hern 


202  Geoffrey's  British  history.       [book  w.  ch.  4 

from  the  forest  of  Calaterium,  which  shall  fly  round  the 
island  for  two  years  together.  With  her  nocturnal  cry  she 
shall  call  together  the  winged  kind,  and  assemble  to  her  all 
sorts  of  fowls.  They  shall  invade  the  tillage  of  husbandmen, 
and  devour  all  the  grain  of  the  harvests.  Then  shall  follow 
a  famine  upon  the  people,  and  a  grievous  mortality  upon  the 
famine.  But  when  this  calamity  shall  be  over,  a  detestable 
bird  shall  go  to  the  valley  of  Galabes,  and  shall  raise  it  to 
be  a  high  mountain.  Upon  the  top  thereof  it  shall  also  plant 
an  oak,  and  build  its  nest  in  its  branches.  Three  eggs  shall 
be  produced  in  the  nest,  from  whence  shall  come  forth  a  fox, 
a  wolf,  and  a  bear.  The  fox  shall  devour  her  mother,  and 
bear  the  head  of  an  ass.  In  this  monstrous  form  shall  she 
frighten  her  brothers,  and  make  them  fly  into  Neustria.  But 
they  shall  stir  up  the  tusky  boar,  and  returning  in  a  fleet 
shall  encounter  with  the  fox ;  who  at  the  beginning  of  the 
fight  shall  feign  herself  dead,  and  move  the  boar  to  com- 
passion. Then  shall  the  boar  approach  her  carcass,  and 
standing  over  her,  shall  breathe  upon  her  face  and  eyes. 
But  she,  not  forgetting  her  cunning,  shall  bite  his  left  foot, 
and  pluck  it  off  from  his  body.  Then  shall  she  leap  upon 
him,  and  snatch  away  his  right  ear  and  tail,  and  hide  herself 
in  the  caverns  of  the  mountains.  Therefore  shall  the  deluded 
boar  require  the  wolf  and  bear  to  restore  him  his  members ; 
who,  as  soon  as  they  shall  enter  into  the  cause,  shall  promise 
two  feet  of  the  fox,  together  with  the  ear  and  tail,  and  of 
these  they  shall  make  up  the  members  of  a  hog.  With  this 
he  shall  be  satisfied,  and  expect  the  promised  restitution. 
In  the  meantime  shall  the  fox  descend  from  the  mountains, 
and  change  herself  into  a  wolf,  and  under  pretence  of  holding 
a  conference  with  the  boar,  she  shall  go  to  him,  and  craftily 
devour  him.  After  that  she  shall  transform  herself  into  a 
boar,  and  feigning  a  loss  of  some  members,  shall  wait  for  her 
brothers ;  but  as  soon  as  they  are  come,  she  shall  suddenly 
kill  them  with  her  tusks,  and  shall  be  crowned  with  the  head 
of  a  lion.  In  her  days  shall  a  serpent  be  brought  forth, 
which  shall  be  a  destroyer  of  mankind.  With  its  length  it 
shall  encompass  London,  and  devour  all  that  pass  by  it.  The 
mountain  ox  shall  take  the  head  of  a  wolf,  and  whiten  his 
teeth  in  the  Severn.  He  shall  gather  to  him  the  flocks  of  Alba- 
nia and  Cambria,  which  shall  drink  the  river  Thames  dry. 


a-d-480-3  merlin's  prophecy.  203 

The  ass  shall  call  the  goat  with  the  long  beard,  and  shall 
borrow  his  shape.  Therefore  shall  the  mountain  ox  be 
incensed,  and  having  called  the  wolf,  shall  become  a  horned 
bull  against  them.  In  the  exercise  of  his  cruelty  he  shall 
devour  their  flesh  and  bones,  but  shall  be  burned  upon  the 
top  of  Urian.  The  ashes  of  his  funeral-pile  shall  be  turned 
into  swans,  that  shall  swim  on  dry  ground  as  on  a  river. 
They  shall  devour  fishes  in  fishes,  and  swallow  up  men  in 
men.  But  when  old  age  shall  come  upon  them,  they  shall 
become  sea-wolves,  and  practise  their  frauds  in  the  deep. 
They  shall  drown  ships,  and  collect  no  small  quantity  of 
silver.  The  Thames  shall  again  flow,  and  assembling 
together  the  rivers,  shall  pass  beyond  the  bounds  of  its 
channel.  It  shall  cover  the  adjacent  cities,  and  overturn 
the  mountains  that  oppose  its  course.  Being  full  of  deceit 
and  wickedness,  it  shall  make  use  of  the  fountain  Galabes. 
Hence  shall  arise  factions  provoking  the  Venedotians  to  war. 
The  oaks  of  the  forest  shall  meet  together,  and  encounter  the 
rocks  of  the  Gewisseans.  A  raven  shall  attend  with  the 
kites,  and  devour  the  carcasses  of  the  slain.  An  owl  shall 
build  her  nest  upon  the  walls  of  Gloucester,  and  in  her  nest 
shall  be  brought  forth  an  ass.  The  serpent  of  Malvernia 
shall  bring  him  up,  and  put  him  upon  many  fraudulent  prac- 
tices. Having  taken  the  crown,  he  shall  ascend  on  high,  and 
frighten  the  people  of  the  country  with  his  hideous  braying. 
In  his  days  shall  the  Pachaian  mountains  tremble,  and  the 
provinces  be  deprived  of  their  woods.  For  there  shall  come 
a  worm  with  a  fiery  breath,  and  with  the  vapour  it  sends 
forth  shall  burn  up  the  trees.  Out  of  it  shall  proceed  seven 
lions  deformed  with  the  heads  of  goats.  With  the  stench 
of  their  nostrils  they  shall  corrupt  women,  and  make  wives 
turn  common  prostitutes.  The  father  shall  not  know  his 
own  son,  because  they  shall  grow  wanton  like  brute  beasts. 
Then  shall  come  the  giant  of  wickedness,  and  terrify  all  with 
the  sharpness  of  his  eyes.  Against  him  shall  arise  the 
dragon  of  Worcester,  and  shall  endeavour  to  banish  him. 
But  in  the  engagement  the  dragon  shall  be  worsted,  and 
oppressed  by  the  wickedness  of  the  conqueror.  For  he  shall 
mount  upon  the  dragon,  and  putting  off  his  garment  shall  sit 
upon  him  naked.  The  dragon  shall  bear  him  up  on  high, 
and  beat  his  naked  rider  with  his  tail  erected.     Upon  this 


204  Geoffrey's  British  history.       [book  vn.  ch.  l 

the  giant  rousing  up  his  whole  strength,  shall  break  his  jaws 
with  his  sword.     At  last  the  dragon  shall  fold  itself  up 
under  its  tail,  and  die  of  poison.     After  him  shall  succeed 
the  boar  of  Totness,  and  oppress  the  people  with  grievous 
tyranny.      Gloucester  shall  send  forth  a  lion,   and  shall 
disturb  him  in  his  cruelty,  in  several  battles.     He  shall 
trample  him  under  his  feet,  and  terrify  him  with  open  jaws. 
At  last  the  lion  shall  quarrel  with  the  kingdom,  and  get  upon 
the  backs  of  the  nobility.   A  bull  shall  come  into  the  quarrel, 
and  strike  the  lion  with  his  right  foot.     He  shall  drive  him 
through  all  the  inns  in  the  kingdom,  but  shall  break  his 
horns  against  the  walls  of  Oxford.     The  fox  of  Kaerdubalem 
shall  take  revenge  on  the  lion,  and  destroy  him  entirely  with 
her  teeth.  She  shall  be  encompassed  by  the  adder  of  Lincoln, 
who  with  a  horrible  hiss  shall  give  notice  of  his  presence  to 
a  multitude  of  dragons.     Then  shall  the  dragons  encounter, 
and  tear  one  another  to  pieces.     The  winged  shall  oppress 
that  which  wants  wings,   and  fasten  its  claws  into  the 
poisonous  cheeks.     Others  shall  come  into  the  quarrel,  and 
kill  one  another.     A  fifth  shall  succeed  those  that  are  slain, 
and  by  various  stratagems  shall  destroy  the  rest.     He  shall 
get  upon  the  back  of  one  with  his  sword,  and  sever  his  head 
from  his  body.     Then  throwing  off  his  garment,  he  shall  get 
upon  another,  and  put  his  right  and  left  hand  upon  his  tail. 
Thus  being  naked  shall  he  overcome  him,  whom  when 
clothed  he  was  not  able  to  deal  with.     The  rest  he  shall 
gall  in  their  flight,  and  drive  them  round  the  kingdom. 
Upon    this    shall    come    a   roaring    lion   dreadful  for  his 
monstrous  cruelty.     Fifteen  parts  shall  he  reduce  to  one, 
and  shall  alone  possess  the  people.     The  giant  of  the  snow- 
white  colour  shall  shine,  and  cause  the  white  people  to 
flourish.     Pleasures  shall  effeminate  the  princes,  and  they 
shall  suddenly  be  changed  into  beasts.     Among  them  shall 
arise  a  lion  swelled  with  human  gore.     Under  him  shall  a 
reaper  be  placed  in  the  standing  corn,  who,  while  he  is 
reaping,  shall  be  oppressed  by  him.     A  charioteer  of  York 
shall  appease  them,  and  having  banished  his  lord,  shall 
mount  upon  the  chariot  which  he  shall  drive.     With  his 
sword  unsheathed  shall  he  threaten  the  East,  and  fill  the 
tracks   of   his  wheels  with  blood.      Afterwards  he  shall 
become  a  sea-fish,  who,  being  roused  up  with  the  hissing 


a.d.  480.]  merlin's  prophecy.  205 

of  a  serpent,  shall  engender  with  him.  From  hence  shall 
be  produced  three  thundering  bulls,  who  having  eaten  up 
their  pastures  shall  be  turned  into  trees.  The  first 
shall  carry  a  whip  of  vipers,  and  turn  his  back  upon 
the  next.  He  shall  endeavour  to  snatch  away  the  whip, 
but  shall  be  taken  by  the  last.  They  shall  turn  away  their 
faces  from  one  another,  till  they  have  thrown  away  the 
poisoned  cup.  To  him  shall  succeed  a  husbandman  of 
Albania,  at  whose  back  shall  be  a  serpent.  He  shall  be 
employed  in  ploughing  the  ground,  that  the  country  may 
become  white  with  corn.  The  serpent  shall  endeavour  to 
diffuse  his  poison,  in  order  to  blast  the  harvest.  A  grievous 
mortality  shall  sweep  away  the  people,  and  the  walls  of  cities 
shall  be  made  desolate.  There  shall  be  given  for  a  remedy 
the  city  of  Claudius,  which  shall  interpose  the  nurse  of  the 
scourger.  For  she  shall  bear  a  dose  of  medicine,  and  in  a 
short  time  the  island  shall  be  restored.  Then  shall  two 
successively  sway  the  sceptre,  whom  a  horned  dragon  shall 
serve.  One  shall  come  in  armour,  and  shall  ride  upon  a 
flying  serpent.  He  shall  sit  upon  his  back  with  his  naked 
body,  and  cast  his  right  hand  upon  his  tail.  With  his  cry 
shall  the  seas  be  moved,  and  he  shall  strike  terror  into  the 
second.  The  second  therefore  shall  enter  into  confederacy 
with  the  lion  ;  but  a  quarrel  happening,  they  shall  encounter 
one  another.  They  shall  distress  one  another,  but  the 
courage  of  the  beast  shall  gain  the  advantage.  Then  shall 
come  one  with  a  drum,  and  appease  the  rage  of  the  lion. 
Therefore  shall  the  people  of  the  kingdom  be  at  peace,  and 
provoke  the  lion  to  a  dose  of  physic.  In  his  established  seat 
he  shall  adjust  the  weights,  but  shall  stretch  out  his  hands 
into  Albania.  For  which  reason  the  northern  provinces 
shall  be  grieved,  and  open  the  gates  of  the  temples.  The 
sign-bearing  wolf  shall  lead  his  troops,  and  surround 
Cornwall  with  his  tail.  He  shall  be  opposed  by  a  soldier  in 
a  chariot,  who  shall  transform  that  people  into  a  boar.  The 
boar  therefore  shall  ravage  the  provinces,  but  shall  hide  his 
head  in  the  depth  of  Severn.  A  man  shall  embrace  a  lion 
in  wine,  and  the  dazzling  brightness  of  gold  shall  blind  the 
eyes  of  beholders.  Silver  shall  whiten  in  the  circumference, 
and  torment  several  wine  presses.  Men  shall  be  drunk  with 
wine,  and,  regardless  of  heaven,  shall  be  intent  upon  the 


206  Geoffrey's  British  history,     (book  ™.  ch.  i. 

earth.  From  them  shall  the  stars  turn  away  their  faces,  and 
confound  their  usual  course.  Corn  will  wither  at  their 
malign  aspects  ;  and  there  shall  fall  no  dew  from  heaven. 
The  roots  and  branches  will  change  their  places,  and  the 
novelty  of  the  thing  shall  pass  for  a  miracle.  The  brightness 
of  the  sun  shall  fade  at  the  amber  of  Mercury,  and  horror 
shall  seize  the  beholders.  Stilbon  of  Arcadia  shall  change 
his  shield ;  the  helmet  of  Mars  shall  call  Venus.  The 
helmet  of  Mars  shall  make  a  shadow ;  and  the  rage  of 
Mercury  pass  his  bounds.  Iron  Orion  shall  unsheath  his 
sword :  the  marine  Phoebus  shall  torment  the  clouds ; 
Jupiter  shall  go  out  of  his  lawful  paths ;  and  Venus 
forsake  her  stated  lines.  The  malignity  of  the  star  Saturn 
shall  fall  down  in  rain,  and  slay  mankind  with  a  crooked 
sickle.  The  twelve  houses  of  the  star  shall  lament  the 
irregular  excursions  of  their  guests  ;  and  Gemini  omit  Jheir 
usual  embraces,  and  call  the  urn  to  the  fountains.  The 
scales  of  Libra  shall  hang  obliquely,  till  Aries  puts  his 
crooked  horns  under  them.  The  tail  of  Scorpio  shall 
produce  lightning,  and  Cancer  quarrel  with  the  Sun, 
Virgo  shall  mount  upon  the  back  of  Sagittarius,  and 
darken  her  virgin  flowers.  The  chariot  of  the  Moon 
shall  disorder  the  zodiac,  and  the  Pleiades  break  forth 
into  weeping.  No  offices  of  Janus  shall  hereafter  return, 
but  his  gate  being  shut  shall  lie  hid  in  the  chinks  of 
Ariadne.  The  seas  shall  rise  up  in  the  twinkling  of  an 
eye,  and  the  dust  of  the  ancients  shall  be  restored.  The 
winds  shall  fight  together  with  a  dreadful  blast,  and  their 
sound  shall  reach  the  stars. 


BOOK  VIII. 


Chap.  I. —  Vortigern  ashe  Merlin  concerning  his  own  death. 

Merlin,  by  delivering  these  and  many  other  prophecies, 
caused  in  all  that  were  present  an  admiration  at  the  ambiguity 
of  his  expressions.  But  Vortigern  above  all  the  rest  both 
admired  and  applauded  the  wisdom,  and  prophetical  spirit  of 


a.d.484.]  merlin's  prophecy.  207 

the  young  man :  for  that  age  had  produced  none  that  ever 
talked  in  such  a  manner  before  him.  Being  therefore  curious 
to  learn  his  own  fate,  he  desired  the  young  man  to  tell  him 
what  he  knew  concerning  that  particular.  Merlin  answered  : 
— "  Fly  the  fire  of  the  sons  of  Constantine,  if  you  are  able  to 
do  it :  already  are  they  fitting  out  their  ships  :  already  are  they 
leaving  theArmorican  shore  :  already  are  they  spreading  out 
their  sails  to  the  wind.  They  will  steer  towards  Britain :  they 
will  invade  the  Saxon  nation  :  they  will  subdue  that  wicked 
people  ;  but  they  will  first  burn  you  being  shut  up  in  a  tower. 
To  your  own  ruin  did  you  prove  a  traitor  to  their  father,  and 
invite  the  Saxons  into  the  island.  You  invited  them  for  your 
safeguard  ;  but  they  came  for  a  punishment  to  you.  Two 
deaths  instantly  threaten  you ;  nor  is  it  easy  to  determine, 
which  you  can  best  avoid.  For  on  the  one  hand  the  Saxons 
shall  lay  waste  your  country,  and  endeavour  to  kill  you :  on  the 
other  shall  arrive  the  two  brothers,  Aurelius  Ambrosius  and 
Uther  Pendragon,  whose  business  will  be  to  revenge  their 
father's  murder  upon  you.  Seek  out  some  refuge  if  you  can  : 
to-morrow  they  will  be  on  the  shore  of  Totness.  The 
faces  of  the  Saxons  shall  look  red  with  blood,  Hengist  shall 
be  killed,  and  Aurelius  Ambrosius  shall  be  crowned.  He 
shall  bring  peace  to  the  nation  ;  he  shall  restore  the  churches ; 
but  shall  die  of  poison.  His  brother  Uther  Pendragon  shall 
succeed  him,  whose  days  also  shall  be  cut  short  by  poison. 
There  shall  be  present  at  the  commission  of  this  treason  your 
own  issue,  whom  the  boar  of  Cornwall  shall  devour."  Accord- 
ingly the  next  day  early,  arrived  Aurelius  Ambrosius  and 
his  brother,  with  ten  thousand  men. 

Chap.  II. — Aurelius  Ambrosius,  being  anointed  king  of  Britain,  burnt 
Voriigern  besieged  in  a  tower. 

As  soon  as  the  news  of  his  coming  was  divulged,  the  Britons, 
who  had  been  dispersed  by  their  great  calamities,  met  together 
from  all  parts,  and  gaining  this  new  accession  of  strength 
from  their  countrymen,  displayed  unusual  vigour.  Having 
assembled  together  the  clergy,  they  anointed  Aurelius  king, 
and  paid  him  the  customary  homage.  And  when  the  people 
were  urgent  to  fall  upon  the  Saxons,  he  dissuaded  them  from 
it,  because  his  desire  was  to  pursue  Vortigern  first.  For  the 
treason  committed  against  his  father  so  very  much  affected 


208  Geoffrey's  British  history.         [book  rm 

him,  that  he  thought  nothing  done  till  that  was  first  avei 
In  pursuance  therefore  of  this  design,  he  marched  wit] 
army  into  Cambria,  to  the  town  of  Genoreu,  whither  V 
gern  had  fled  for  refuge.  That  town  was  in  the  count] 
Hergin,  upon  the  river  Gania,  in  the  mountain  c 
Cloarius.  As  soon  as  Ambrosius  was  arrived  there,  bea 
in  his'mind  the  murder  of  his  father  and  brother,  he  s 
thus  to  Eldol,  duke  of  Gloucester. 

"  See,  most  noble  duke,  whether  the  walls  of  this  cifrj 
able  to  protect  Vortigern  against  my  sheathing  this  swoi 
his  bowels.  He  deserves  to  die,  and  you  cannot,  I  sup] 
be  ignorant  of  his  desert.  Oh  most  villainous  of  men,  w 
crimes  deserve  inexpressible  tortures  !  First  he  betrayec 
father  Constantine,  who  had  delivered  him  and  his  cou 
from  the  inroads  of  the  Picts  ;  afterwards  my  brother  < 
stans  whom  he  made  king  on  purpose  to  destroy  him.  Aj 
when  by  his  craft  he  had  usurped  the  crown,  he  introd 
pagans  among  the  natives,  in  order  to  abuse  those  who 
tinued  stedfast  in  their  loyalty  to  me  :  but  by  the  good 
vidence  of  God,  he  unwarily  fell  into  the  snare,  whic 
had  laid  for  my  faithful  subjects.  For  the  Saxons,  v 
they  found  him  out  in  his  wickedness,  drove  him  fron 
kingdom ;  for  which  nobody  ought  to  be  concerned, 
this  I  think  matter  of  just  grief,  that  this  odious  pe< 
whom  that  detestable  traitor  invited  over,  has  expellee 
nobility,  laid  waste  a  fruitful  country,  destroyed  the 
churches,  and  almost  extinguished  Christianity  over 
whole  kingdom.  Now,  therefore,  my  countrymen,  g 
yourselves  men  ;  first  revenge  yourselves  upon  him  that 
the  occasion  of  all  these  disasters ;  then  let  us  turn 
arms  against  our  enemies,  and  free  our  country  from  1 
brutish  tyranny." 

Immediately,  therefore,  they  set  their  engines  to  ^ 
and  laboured  to  beat  down  the  walls.  But  at  last,  whe 
other  attempts  failed,  they  had  recourse  to  fire,  which  n 
ing  with  proper  fuel,  ceased  not  to  rage,  till  it  had  bu 
down  the  tower  and  Vortigern  in  it. 


AA43T.J  AURELIUS'S  VALOUR.  209 


Chap.  III. — The  praise  of  Aurelius9 s  valour*     The  levity  of  the  Scots 
exposed.    Forces  raised  against  Hengist. 

Hengist,  with  his  Saxons,  was  struck  with  terror  at  this 
news,  for  he  dreaded  the  valour  of  Aurelius.     Such  was  the 
bravery  and  courage  this  prince  was  master  of,  that  while 
he  was  in  Gaul,  there  was  none  that  durst  encounter  with 
him.     For  in  all  encounters  he  either  dismounted  his  adver—\>^  < 
sary,  or  broke  his  spear.  Besides,  he  was  magnificent  in  his  v    c 
presents,  constant  at  his  devotions,  temperate  in  all  respects, 
and  above  all  things  hated  a  lie.     A  brave  soldier  on  foot,  a  "  **~ 
better  on  horseback,  and  expert  in  the  discipline  of  an  army.    \  - 
Reports  of  these  his  noble  accomplishments,  while  he  yet 
continued  in  Armorican  Britain,  were  daily  brought  over  into 
the  island.     Therefore,  the  Saxons,  for  fear  of  him,  retired 
beyond  the  Humber,  and  in  those"  parts™fblJtiEe<I  the  cities 
and  towns  ;  for  that  country  always  was  a  place  of  refuge  to 
them  ;  their  safety  lying  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Scotland, 
which  used  to  watch  all   opportunities  of  distressing  the  I      . 
nation  ;  for   that  country  being  in  itself  a  frightful  place f 
to  live  in,  and  wholly  uninhabited,  had  been  a  safe  retreat  I 
for  strangers.     By  its  situation  it  lay  open  to  the  Picts,  Scots, 
Dacians,  Norwegians,  and  others,  that  came  to  plunder  the 
island.     Being,  therefore,  secure  of  a  safe  reception  in  this 
country,  they  fled  towards  it,  that,  if  there  should  be  occa- 
sion, they  might  retreat  into  it  as  into  their  own  camp.   This 
was  good  news  to  Aurelius,  and  made  him  conceive  greater 
hopes  of  victory.     So  assembling  his  people  quickly  together, 
he  augmented  his  army,  and  made  an  expeditious  march 
towards  the  north.     In  his  passage  through  the  countries, 
he   was   grieved  to  see  the  desolation  made*  in  them,  but 
especially  that  the  churches  were  levelled  with  the  ground  ; 
and  he  promised  to  rebuild  them,  if  he  gained  the  victory. 

Chap.  IV.—  Hengist  marches  with  his  army  against  Aurelius,  into  the 
field  ofMaisbeli. 

But  Hengist,  upon  his  approach,  took  courage  again,  and 
chose  out  the  bravest  of  his  men,  whom  he  exhorted  to  make 
a  gallant  defence,  and  not  be  daunted  at  Aurelius,  who,  he 
told  them,  had  but  few  Armorican  Britons  with  him,  since 
their  number  did  not  exceed  ten  thousand.     And  as  for  the 

p 


210  Geoffrey's  British  history.         [book  vhi.  ch.  5. 

native  Britons,  he  made  no  account  of  them,  since  they  had 
teen  so  often  defeated  by  him.  He  therefore  promised  them 
the  victory,  and  that  they  should  come  off  safely,  considering 
the  superiority  of  their  number,  which  amounted  to  two 
hundred  thousand  men  in  arms.  After  he  had  in  this  manner 
animated  his  men,  he  advanced  with  them  towards  Aurelius, 
into  a  field  called  Maisbeli,  through  which  Aurelius  was  to 
pass.  For  his  intention  was  to  make  a  sudden  assault  by  a 
surprise,  and  fall  upon  the  Britons  before  they  were  prepared. 
But  Aurelius  perceived  the  design,  and  yet  did  not,  on  that 
account,  delay  going  to  the  field,  but  rather  pursued  his 
march  with  more  expedition.  When  he  was  come  within 
sight  of  the  enemy,  he  put  his  troops  in  order,  commanding 
three  thousand  Armoricans  to  attend  the  cavalry,  and  drew 
out  the  rest  together  with  the  islanders  into  line  of  battle. 
The  Dimetians  he  placed  upon  the  hills,  and  the  Vene-. 
dotians  in  the  adjacent  woods.  His  reason  for  which  was, 
that  they  might  be  there  ready  to  fall  upon  the  Saxons,  in 
case  they  should  flee  in  that  direction. 

Chap.  V. — A  battle  between  Aurelius  and  Hengist, 

In  the  meantime,  Eldol,  duke  of  Gloucester,  went  to  the 
king,  and  said*  "  This  one  day  should  suffice  for  all  the  days 
of  my  life,  if  by  good  providence  I  could  but  get  an  oppor- 
tunity to  engage  with  Hengist ;  for  one  of  us  should  die 
before  we  parted.  I  still  retain  deeply  fixed  in  my  memory 
the  day  appointed  for  our  peaceably  treating  together,  but 
which  he  villainously  made  use  of  to  assassinate  all  that  were 
present  at  the  treaty,  except  myself  only,  who  stood  upon  my 
defence  with  a  stake  which  I  accidentally  found,  until  I  made 
my  escape.  Tha,t  very  day  proved  fatal,  through  his  treachery, 
to  no  less  than  four  hundred  and  sixty  barons  and  consuls, 
who  all  went  unarmed.  From  that  conspiracy  God  was 
pleased  to  deliver  me,  by  throwing  a  stake  in  my  way,  where- 
with I  defended  myself  and  escaped."  Thus  spoke  EldoL 
Tphen  Aurelius  exhorted  his  companions  to  place  all  their 
hope  in  the  Son  of  Qod,  and  to  make  a  brave  assault  with 
one  consent  upon  the  enemy,  in  defence  of  their  country. 
Nor  was  Hengist  less  busy  on  the  other  hand  in  forming  hia 
troops,  and  giving  them  direction^  how  to  behave  themselves, 
in  the  battle  ;  and  he  walked  himself  through  their  several 


a.o.  488.]  AURELIUS  DEFEATS   HENGIST.  211 

ranks,  the  more  to  spirit  them  up.  At  last,  both  armies, 
being  drawn  out  in  order  of  battle,  began  the  attack,  which 
they  maintained  with  great  bravery,  and  no  small  loss  of 
blood,  both  to  the  Britons  and  Saxons.  Aurelius  animated 
the  Christians,  Hengist  the  pagans  ;  and  all  the  time  of  the 
engagement,  Eldol's  chief  endeavour  was  to  encounter  Hen- 
gist,  but  he  had  no  opportunity  for  it.  For  Hengist,  when 
he  found  that  his  own  men  were  routed,  and  that  the  Chris- 
tians, by  the  especial  favour  of  God,  had  the  advantage,  fled 
to  the  town  called  Kaerconan,  now  Cunungeburg.  Aurelius 
pursued  him,  and  either  killed  or  made  slaves  of  all  he  found 
in  the  way.  When  Hengist  saw  that  he  was  pursued  by 
Aurelius,  he  would  not  enter  the  town,  but  assembled  his 
troops,  and  prepared  them  to  stand  another  engagement. 
For  he  knew  the  town  would  not  hold  out  against  Aurelius, 
and  that  his  whole  security  now  lay  in  his  sword.  At  last 
Aurelius  overtook  him,  and  after  marshalling  his  forces,  be- 
gan another  most  furious  fight.  And  here  the  Saxons 
steadily  maintained  their  ground,  notwithstanding  the  num- 
bers that  fell.  On  both  sides  there  was  a  great  slaughter, 
the  groans  of  the  dying  causing  a  greater  rage  in  those  that 
survived.  In  short,  the  Saxons  would  have  gained  the  day, 
had  not  a  detachment  of  horse  from  the  Armorican  Britons 
come  in  upon  them.  For  Aurelius  had  appointed  them  the 
same  station  which  they  had  in  the  former  battle ;  so  that, 
upon  their  advancing,  the  Saxons  gave  ground,  and  when 
once  a  little  dispersed,  were  not  able  to  rally  again.  The 
Britons,  encouraged  by  this  advantage,  exerted  them- 
selves, and  laboured  with  all  their  might  to  distress  the 
enemy.  All  the  time  Aurelius  was  fully  employed,  not  only 
in  giving  commands,  but  encouraging  his  men  by  his  own 
example  ;  for  with  his  own  hand  he  killed  all  that  stood  in 
his  way,  and  pursued  those  that  fled.  Nor  was  Eldol  less 
active  in  all  parts  of  the  field,  running  to  and  fro  to  assault 
his  adversaries ;  but  still  his  main  endeavour  was  to  find 
opportunity  of  encountering  Hengist. 

Chap.  VI. — Hengist,  in  a  duel  with  Eldol,  is  taken  by  him.     The  Saxons 
are  slain  by  the  Britons  without  mercy. 

As  there  were  therefore  several  movements  made  by  the 
parties  engaged  on  each  side,  an  opportunity  occurred  for  their 

p2 


212  Geoffrey's  British  histoet.       [BooKvm.ca.7. 

meeting,  and  briskly  engaging  each  other.  In  this  encounter 
of  the  two  greatest  champions  in  the  field,  the  fire  sparkled 
with  the  clashing  of  their  arms,  and  every  stroke  in  a  manner 
produced  both  thunder  and  lightning.  For  a  long  time  wa9  the 
victory  in  suspense,  as  it  seemed  sometimes  to  favour  the  one, 
sometimes  the  other.  While  they  were  thus  hotly  engaged, 
Gorlois,  duke  of  Cornwall,  came  up  to  them  with  the  party  he 
commanded,  and  did  great  execution  upon  the  enemies'  troops. 
At  the  sight  of  him,  Eldol,  assured  of  victory,  seized  on  the 
helmet  of  Hengist,  and  by  main  force  dragged  him  in  among 
the  Britons,  and  then  in  transports  of  joy  cried  out  with  a 
loud  voice,  "  God  has  fulfilled  my  desire  !  My  brave  soldiers, 
down,  down,  with  your  enemies  the  Ambrons.*  The  victory 
is  now  in  your  hands  :  Hengist  is  defeated,  and  the  day  is 
your  own."  In  the  meantime  the  Britons  failed  not  to  per- 
form every  one  his  part  against  the  pagans,  upon  whom  they 
made  many  vigorous  assaults ;  and  though  they  were  obliged 
sometimes  to  give  ground,  yet  their  courage  did  not  fail  them 
in  making  a  good  resistance  ;  so  that  they  gave  the  enemy 
no  respite  till  they  had  vanquished  them.  The  Saxons 
therefore  fled  whithersoever  their  consternation  hurried  them, 
some  to  the  cities,  some  to  the  woods  upon  the  hills,  and 
others  to  their  ships.  But  Octa,  the  son  of  Hengist,  made 
his  retreat  with  a  great  body  of  men  to  York :  and  Eosa, 
his  kinsman,  to  the  city  of  Alclud,  where  he  had  a  very  large 
army  for  his  guard. 

Chap.  VII. — Hengist  is  beheaded  by  Eldol. 

Aurelius,  after  this  victory,  took  the  city  of  Conan  above- 
mentioned,  and  stayed  there  three  days.  During  this  time 
he  gave  orders  for  the  burial  of  the  slain,  for  curing  the 
wounded,  and  for  the  ease  and  refreshment  of  his  forces  that 
were  fatigued.  Then  he  called  a  council  of  his  principal 
officers,  to  deliberate  what  was  to  be  done  with  Hengist. 
There  was  present  at  the  assembly  Eldad,  bishop  of  Glouces- 
ter, and  brother  of  Eldol,  a  prelate  of  very  great  wisdom 
and  piety.  As  soon  as  he  beheld  Hengist  standing  in  the 
king's  presence,  he  demanded  silence,  and  said,  "  Though  all 
should  be  unanimous  for  setting  him  at  liberty,  yet  would  I 

*  The  meaning  of  this  word  is  doubtful ;  it  is  applied  to  the 
and  probably  is  descriptive  of  their  fierce  and  savage  character. 


a.©.  488.]  OCTA  SUBBSKDEBS  TO  AUBELIUS.  213 

cat  him  to  pieces.  The  prophet  Samuel  is  my  warrant,  who, 
when  he  had  Agag,  king  of  Amalek,  in  liis  power,  hewed 
him  in  pieces,  saying,  As  thy  sword  hath  made  women  child- 
less, so  shall  thy  mother  be  childless  among  women.  Do 
therefore  the  same  to  Hengist,  who  is  a  second  Agag." 
Accordingly  Eldol  took  his  sword,  and  drew  him  out  of  the 
city,  and  then  cut  off  his  head.  But  Aurelius,  who  showed 
moderation  in  all  his  conduct,  commanded  him  to  be  buried, 
and  a  heap  of  earth  to  be  raised  over  his  body,  according  to 
the  custom  of  the  pagans. 

Chap.  VIII. — Octa,  being  besieged  in  York,  surrenders  himself  to  the 
mercy  of  Aurelius. 

From  hence  Aurelius  conducted  his  army  to  York,  to  besiege 
Octa,  Hengist's  son.  When  the  city  was  invested,  Octa  was 
doubtful  whether  he  should  give  him  any  opposition,  and 
stand  a  siege  against  such  a  powerful  army.  After  consulta- 
tion upon  it,  he  went  out  with  his  principal  nobility  that  were 
present,  carrying  a  chain  in  his  hand,  and  sand  upon  his 
head,  and  presented  himself  to  the  king  with  this  address  : 
"  My  gods  are  vanquished,  and  I  doubt  not  that  the  sovereign 
power  is  in  your  God,  who  has  compelled  so  many  noble  per- 
sons to  come  before  you  in  this  suppliant  manner.  Be  pleased 
therefore  to  accept  of  us,  and  of  this  chain.  If  you  do  not 
think  us  fit  objects  of  your  clemency,  we  here  present  our- 
selves ready  to  be  fettered,  and  to  undergo  whatever  punish- 
ment you  shall  adjudge  us  to."  Aurelius  was  moved  with 
pity  at  the  spectacle,  and  demanded  the  advice  of  his  council 
what  should  be  done  with  them.  After  various  proposals 
upon  this  subject,  Eldad  the  bishop  rose  up,  and  delivered 
his  opinion  in  these  words  :  "  The  Gibeonites  came  volun- 
tarily to  the  children  of  Israel  to  desire  mercy,  and  they 
obtained  it.  And  shall  we  Christians  be  worse  than  the 
Jews,  in  refusing  them  mercy  ?  It  is  mercy  which  they  beg, 
and  let  them  have  it.  The  island  of  Britain  is  large,  and  in 
many  places  uninhabited.  Let  us  make  a  covenant  with 
them,  and  suffer  them  at  least  to  inhabit  the  desert  places, 
that  they  maybe  our  vassals  for  ever."  The  king  acquiesced 
in  Eldad's  advice,  and  suffered  them  to  partake  of  his  clemency. 
After  this  Eosa  and  the  rest  that  fled,  being  encouraged  by 
Octa's  success,  came  also,  and  were  admitted  to  the  same 


214  Geoffrey's  British  history.     [bookViii.  cb.p. 

favour.    The  king  therefore  granted  them  the  country  border- 
ing upon  Scotland,  and  made  a  firm  covenant  with  them. 


Chap.  IX. — Aurelius\  having  entirely  routed  the  enemies,  restores  all 
things  in  Britain,  especially  ecclesiastical  affairs,  to  their  ancient  state. 

The  enemies  being  now  entirely  reduced,*  the  king  sum- 
moned the  consuls  and  princes  of  the  kingdom  together  at 
York,  where  he  gave  orders  for  the  restoration  of  the 
churches,  which  the  Saxons  had  destroyed.  He  himself 
undertook  the  rebuilding  of  the  metropolitan  church  of  that 
city,  as  also  the  other  cathedral  churches  in  that  province. 
After  fifteen  days,  when  he  had  settled  workmen  in  several 
places,  he  went  to  London,  which  city  had  not  escaped  the 
fury  of  the  enemy.  He  beheld  with  great  sorrow  the  de- 
struction made  in  it,  and  recalled  the  remainder  of  the  citi- 
zens from  all  parts,  and  began  the  restoration  of  it.  Here 
he  settled  the  affairs  of  the  whole  kingdom,  revived  the 
laws,  restored  the  right  heirs  to  the  possessions  of  their  an- 
cestors ;  and  those  estates,  whereof  the  heirs  had  been  lost  in 
the  late  grievous  calamity,  he  distributed  among  his  fellow 
soldiers.  In  these  important  concerns,  of  restoring  the  na- 
tion to  its  ancient  state,  repairing  the  churches,  re-establish- 
ing peace  and  law,  and  settling  the  administration  of  justice, 
was  his  time  wholly  employed.  From  hence  he  went  to 
Winchester,  to  repair  the  ruins  of  it,  as  he  did  of  other 
cities ;  and  when  the  work  was  finished  there,  he  went,  at 
the  instance  of  bishop  Eldad,  to  the  monastery  near  Kaer- 
caradoc,  now  Salisbury,  where  the  consuls  and  princes* 
whom  the  wicked  Hengist  had  treacherously  murdered,  lay 
buried.  At  this  place  was  a  convent  that  maintained  three 
hundred  friars,  situated  on  the  mountain  of  Ambrius,  who, 
as  is  reported,  had  been  the  founder  of  it.  The  sight  of 
the  place  where  the  dead  lay,  made  the  king,  who  was  of  a 
compassionate  temper,  shed  tears,  and  at  last  enter  upon 
thoughts,  what  kind  of  monument  to  erect  upon  it.  For  he 
thought  something  ought  to  be   done  to    perpetuate  the 

*  The  conquest  of  England!  was  achieved  slowly  by  the  Saxons,  yet  it 
was  sure  and  permanent :  the  assertion  in  the  text  is  untrue.  There 
was  no  expulsion  or  subjugation  of  the  invaders  when  they  were  once 
landed. 


A.o.  489. j  MERLIN'S  ADVICE  TO  AURELIUS.  215 

memory  of  that  piece  of  ground,  which  was  honoured  with 
the  bodies  of  so  many  noble  patriots,  that  died  for  their 
country. 


Chap.  X. — Aurelius  is  advised  by  Merlin  to  remove  the  Giant's  Dance 
from  ihe  mountain  Killaraus. 

For  this  purpose  he  summoned  together  several  carpenters 
and  masons,  and  commanded  them  to  employ  the  utmost  of 
their  art,  in  contriving  some  new  structure,  for  a  lasting 
monument  to  those  great  men.  But  they,  in  diffidence  of 
their  own  skill,  refusing  to  undertake  it,  Tremounus,  arch- 
bishop of  the  City  of  Legions,  went  to  the  king,  and  said, 
"  If  any  one  living  is  able  to  execute  your  commands,  Mer- 
lin, the  prophet  of  Vortigern,  is  the  man.  In  my  opinion 
there  is  not  in  all  your  kingdom  a  person  of  a  brighter 
genius,  either  in  predicting  future  events,  or  in  mechanical 
contrivances.  Order  him  to  come  to  you,  and  exercise  his 
skill  in  the  work  which  you  design."  Whereupon  Aurelius, 
after  he  had  asked  a  great  many  questions  concerning  him, 
despatched  several  messengers  into  the  country  to  find  him 
out,  and  bring  him  to  him.  After  passing  through  several 
provinces,  they  found  him  in  the  country  of  the  Gewisseans, 
at  the  fountain  of  Galabes,  which  he  frequently  resorted  to. 
As  soon  as  they  had  delivered  their  message  to  him,  they 
conducted  him  to  the  king,  who  received  him  with  joy,  and, 
being  curious  to  hear  some  of  his  wonderful  speeches,  com- 
manded him  to  prophesy.  Merlin  made  answer :  "  Mysteries 
of  this  kind  are  not  to  be  revealed  but  when  there  is  the 
greatest  necessity  for  it.  If  I  should  pretend  to  utter  them 
for  ostentation  or  diversion,  the  spirit  that  instructs  me 
would  be  silent,  and  would  leave  me  when  I  should  have 
occasion  for  it."  When  he  had  made  the  same  refusal  to  all 
the  rest  present,  the  king  would  not  urge  him  any  longer 
about  his  predictions,  but  spoke  to  him  concerning  the  monu- 
ment which  he  designed.  "If  you  are  desirous,"  said  Merlin, 
"  to  honour  the  burying-place  of  these  men  with  an  ever- 
lasting monument,  send  for  the  Giant's  Dance,  which  is  in 
Killaraus,  a  mountain  in  Ireland.  For  there  is  a  structure 
of  stones  there,  which  none  of  this  age  could  raise,  without 
a  profound  knowledge  of  the  mechanical  ai;ts.     They  are 


216  GEOPFREl'S   BRITISH  HISTOBY.     Lbook  vin.  ch.  11, 12. 

stones  of  a  vast  magnitude  and  wonderful  quality ;  and  if 
they  can  be  placed  here,  as  they  are  there,  round  this  spot  of 
ground,  they  will  stand  for  ever." 

Chap.  XI. — Uther  Pendragon  is  appointed  with  Merlin  to  bring  over  the 
Giant's  Dance* 

At  these  words  of  Merlin,  Aurelius  burst  into  laughter,  and 
said,  "  How  is  it  possible  to  remove  such  vast  stones  from  so 
distant  a  country,  as  if  Britain  was  not  furnished  with  stones 
fit  for  the  work  ?"  Merlin  replied,  "  I  entreat  your  majesty 
to  forbear  vain  laughter  ;  for  what  I  say  is  without  vanity. 
They  are  mystical  stones,  and  of  a  medicinal  virtue.  The 
giants  of  old  brought  them  from  the  farthest  coast  of  Africa, 
and  placed  them  in  Ireland,  while  they  inhabited  that  coun- 
try. Their  design  in  this  was  to  make  baths  in  them,  when 
they  should  be  taken  with  any  illness.  For  their  method 
was  to  wash  the  stones,  and  put  their  sick  into  the  water, 
which  infallibly  cured  them.  With  the  like  success  they 
cured  wounds  also,  adding  only  the  application  of  some 
herbs.  There  is  not  a  stone  there  which  has  not  some  heal- 
ing virtue."  When  the  Britons  heard  this,  they  resolved  to 
send  for  the  stones,  and  to  make  war  upon  the  people  of 
Ireland  if  they  should  offer  to  detain  them.  And  to  accom- 
plish this  business,  they  made  choice  of  Uther  Pendragon, 
who  was  to  be  attended  with  fifteen  thousand  men.  ^fiiey 
chose  also  Merlin  himself,  by  whose  direction  the  whole 
affair  was  to  be  managed.  A  fleet  being  therefore  got 
ready,  they  set  sail,  and  with  a  fair  wind  arrived  in  Ire- 
land. 


Chap.  XII. — Gillomanius  being  routed  by  Uther,  the  Britons  bring  over 
the  Giant* s  dance  into  Britain, 

At  that  time  Gillomanius,  a  youth  of  wonderful  valour, 
reigned  in  Ireland;  who,  upon  the  news  of  the  arrival  of 
the  Britons  in  his  kingdom,  levied  a  vast  army,  and  inarched 
out  against  them.  And  when  he  had  learned  the  occasion 
of  their  coming,  he  smiled,  and  said  to  those  about  him, 
•*  No  wonder  a  cowardly  race  of  people  were  able  to  make 
so  great  a  devastation  in  the  island  of  Britain,  when  the 
Lritons  are  such  brutes  and  fools.     Was  ever  the  like  fbllj 


U).  490.]  GIANT'S  DANCE  BROUGHT  TO  ENGLAND.  217 

heard  of  ?  What  are  the  stones  of  Ireland  better  than  those 
of  Britain,  that  our  kingdom  must  be  put  to  this  disturbance 
for  them  ?  To  arms,  soldiers,  and  defend  your  country ; 
while  I  have  life  they  shall  not  take  from  us  the  least  stone 
of  the  Giant's  Dance."  Uther,  seeing  them  prepared  for  a 
battle,  attacked  them ;  nor  was  it  long  ere  the  Britons  had 
the  advantage,  who,  having  dispersed  and  killed  the  Irish, 
forced  Gillomanius  to  flee.  After  the  victory  they  went  to 
the  mountain  Killaraus,  and  arrived  at  the  structure  of  stones, 
the  sight  of  which  filled  them  both  with  joy  and  admiration. 
And  while  they  were  all  standing  round  them,  Merlin  came 
up  to  them  and  said,  "  Now  try  your  forces,  young  men,  and 
see  whether  strength  or  art  can  do  the  most  towards  taking 
down  these  stones."  At  this  word  they  all  set  to  their 
engines  with  one  accord,  and  attempted  the  removing  of  the 
Giant's  Dance.  Some  prepared  cables,  others  small  ropes, 
others  ladders  for  the  work,  but  all  to  no  purpose.  Merlin 
laughed  at  their  vain  efforts,  and  then  began  his  own  contri- 
vances. When  he  had  placed  in  order  the  engines  that  were 
necessary,  he  took  down  the  stones  with  an  incredible  facility, 
and  gave  directions  for  carrying  them  to  the  ships,  and 
placing  them  therein.  This  done,  they  with  joy  set  sail 
again,  to  return  to  Britain  ;  where  they  arrived  with  a  fair 
gale,  and  repaired  to  the  burying-place  with  the  stones. 
When  Aurelius  had  notice  of  it,  he  sent  messengers  to  all 
parts  of  Britain,  to  summon  the  clergy  and  people  together 
to  the  mount  of  Ambrius,  in  order  to  celebrate  with  joy  and 
honour  the  erection  of  the  monument.  Upon  this  summons 
appeared  the  bishops,  abbats,  and  people  of  all  other  orders  and 
qualities  ;  and  upon  the  day  and  place  appointed  for  their 
general  meeting,  Aurelius  placed  the  crown  upon  his  head, 
and  with  royal  pomp  celebrated  the  feast  of  Pentecost,  the 
solemnity  whereof  he  continued  the  three  following  days. 
In  the  meantime,  all  places  of  honour  that  were  vacant,  he 
bestowed  upon  his  domestics  as  rewards  for  their  good  ser- 
vices. At  that  time  the  two  metropolitan  sees  of  York  and 
Legions  were  vacant ;  and  with  the  general  consent  of  the 
people,  whom  he  was  willing  to  please  in  this  choice,  he 
granted  York  to  Sanxo,  a  man  of  great  quality,  and  much 
celebrated  for  his  piety ;  and  the  City  of  Legions  to  Dubri- 
cius,  whom  divine  providence  had  pointed  out  as  a  most  use- 


218  GEOFFREYS  BRITISH  HISTORY.      Ibook  vxn.  ch.  13*  1* 

ful  pastor  in  that  place.  As  soon  as  lie  had  settled  these 
and  other  affairs  in  the  kingdom,  he  ordered  Merlin  to 
set  up  the  stones  brought  over  from  Ireland,  about  the 
sepulchre;  which  he  accordingly  did,  and  placed  them  in 
the  same  manner  as  they  had  been  in  the  mountain  Killaraus, 
and  thereby  gave  a  manifest  proof  of  the  prevalence  of  art 
above,  strength.* 


Chap.  XIII. — Pascentius  brings  in  the  Saxons  against  the  Britons. 

At  the  same  time  Pascentius,  the  son  of  Vortigern,  who 
had  fled  over  into  Germany,  was  levying  all  the  forces  of 
.  that  kingdom  against  Aurelius  Ambrosius,  with  a  design  to 
revenge  his  father's  death ;  and  promised  his  men  an  im- 
mense treasure  of  gold  and  silver,  if  with  their  assistance  he 
could  succeed  in  reducing  Britain  under  his  power.  When 
he  had  at  last  corrupted  all  the  youth  of  the  country  with 
his  large  promises,  he  prepared  a  vast  fleet,  and  arrived  in 
the  northern  parts  of  the  island,  upon  which  he  began  to 
make  great  devastations.  The  king,  on  the  other  hand, 
hearing  this  news,  assembled  his  army,  and  marching  against 
them  challenged  the  enraged  enemy  to  a  battle ;  the  chaU 
lenge  was  accepted,  and  by  the  blessing  of  God  the  enemy 
was  defeated  and  put  to  flight* 

Chap.  XIV. —  Pascentius,  assisted  by  the  king  of  Ireland,  again  invades 
Britain,    Aurelius  dies  by  the  treachery  o/Eopa,  a  Saxon. 

Pascentius,  after  this  flight,  durst  not  return  to  Germany, 
-  but  shifting  his  sails,  went  over  to  Gillomaniusj  in  Ireland, 
by  whom  he  was  well  received.  And  when  he  had  given 
him  an  account  of  his  misfortune,  Gillomanius,  in  pity  to  him, 
promised  him  his  assistance,  and  at  the  same  time  vented  his 
complaint  of  the  injuries  done  him  by  TJther,  the  brother  of 
Aurelius,  when  he  came  for  the  Giant's  Dance.  At  last, 
entering  into  confederacy  together,  they  made  ready  their 
fleet,  in  which  they  embarked,  and  arrived  at  the  city  of 
Menevia.     This  news  caused  TJther  Pendragon  to  levy  his 

*  This  is  the  venerable  monument  of  antiquity,  now  called  Stonebenge, 
of  the  origin  of  which  we  know  no  more  than  we  know  of  the  solid  frame- 
work of  the  globe  itself.  It  was  certainly  erected  by  a  people  who  lived 
long  before  the  beginning  of  authentic  history. 


A.D.  497—508.]  EOPA  POISONS  AURELIUS;  219 

forces,  and  march  into  Cambria  to  fight  them;  For  his 
brother  Aurelius  then  lay  sick  at  Winchester,  and  was  not 
able  to  go  himself.  When  Pascentius,  Gillomanius,  and  the 
Saxons  heard  of  it,  they  highly  rejoiced,  flattering  them- 
selves, that  his  sickness  would  facilitate  to  them  the  conquest 
of  Britain.  While  this  occurrence  Was  the  subject  of  the 
people's  discourse,  one  of  the  Saxons,  named  Eopa,  came  to 
Pascentius,  and  said,  "  What  reward  will  you  give  the  man 
that  shall  kill  Aurelius  Ambrosius  for  you  ?"  To  whom 
Pascentius  answered,  "  O  that  I  could  find  a  man  of  such 
resolution  !  I  would  give  him  a  thousand  pounds  of  silver, 
and  my  friendship  for  life  ;  and  if  by  good  fortune  I  can  but 
gain  the  crown,  I  promise  upon  oath  to  make  him  a  centu- 
rion." To  this  Eopa  replied,  "I  have  learned  the  British 
language,  and  know  the  manners  of  the  people,  and  have  skill 
in  physic.  If,  therefore,  you  will  perform  this  promise,  I 
will  pretend  to  be  a  Christian  and  a  Briton,  and  when,  as  a 
physician,  I  shall  be  admitted  into  the  king's  presence,  I  will 
make  him  a  potion  that  shall  despatch  him.  And  to  gain  the 
readier  access  to  him,  I  will  put  on  the  appearance  of  a  de- 
vout and  learned  monk."  Upon  this  offer,  Pascentius  entered 
into  covenant  with  him,  and  confirmed  what  he  had  promised 
with  an  oath.  Eopa,  therefore,  shaved  his  beard  and  head,  and 
in  the  habit  of  a  monk  hastened  to  Winchester,  loaded  with 
vessels  full  of  medical  preparations.  As  soon  as  he  arrived 
there,  he  offered  his  service  to  those  that  attended  about  the 
king,  and  was  graciously  received  by  them ;  for  to  them 
nobody  was  now  more  acceptable  than  a  physician.  Being 
introduced  into  the  king's  presence,  he  promised  to  restore 
him  to  his  health,  if  he  would  but  take  his  potions.  Upon 
which  he  had  his  orders  forthwith  to  prepare  one  of  them, 
into  which  when  he  had  secretly  conveyed  a  poisonous  mix- 
ture, he  gave  it  the  king.  As  soon  as  Aurelius  had  drunk 
it  up,  the  wicked  Ambron  ordered  him  presently  to  cover 
himself  close  up,  and  fall  asleep,  that  the  detestable  potion 
might  the  better  operate.  The  king  readily  obeyed  his  pre- 
scriptions, and  in  hopes  of  his  speedy  recovery  fell  asleep. 
But  the  poison  quickly  diffused  itself  through  all  the  pores 
and  veins  of  his  body,  so  that  the  sleep  ended  in  death.  In 
the  meantime  the  wicked  traitor,  having  cunningly  with- 
drawn himself  first  from  one  and  then  from  another,  was  no 


220  Geoffrey's  British  history,  [book  tux.  chu,i& 

longer  to  be  found  in  the  court.  During  these  transactions 
at  Winchester,  there  appeared  a  star  of  wonderful  magnitude 
and  brightness,  darting  forth  a  ray,  at  the  end  of  which  was 
a  globe  of  fire  in  form  of  a  dragon,  out  of  whose  mouth 
issued  forth  two  rays  ;  one  of  which  seemed  to  stretch  out 
itself  beyond  the  extent  of  Gaul,  the  other  towards  the  Irish 
Sea,  and  ended  in  seven  lesser  rays. 

Chap.  XV. — A  comet  presignifies  the  reign  of  Uther. 

At  the  appearance  of  this  star,  a  general  fear  and  amaze- 
ment seized  the  people  ;  and  even  Uther,  the  king's  brother, 
who  was  then  upon  his  march  with  his  army  into  Cambria, 
being  not  a  little  terrified  at  it,  was  very  curious  to  know  of 
the  learned  men,  what  it  portended.  Among  others,  he 
ordered  Merlin  to  be  called,  who  also  attended  in  this  expe- 
dition to  give  his  advice  in  the  management  of  the  war ;  and 
who,  being  now  presented  before  him,  was  commanded  to 
discover  to  him  the  signification  of  the  star.  At  this  he 
burst  out  into  tears,  and  with  a  loud  voice  cried  out,  "  O 
irreparable  loss !  O  distressed  people  of  Britain  !  Alas ! 
the  illustrious  prince  is  departed  !  The  renowned  king  of 
the  Britons,  Aurelius  Ambrosius,  is  dead !  whose  death  will 
prove  fatal  to  us  all,  unless  God  be  our  helper.  Make  haste, 
therefore,  most  noble  Uther,  make  haste  to  engage  the  enemy : 
the  victory  will  be  yours,  and  you  shall  be  king  of  all  Britain. 
For  the  star,  and  the  fiery  dragon  under  it,  signifies  yourself 
and  the  ray  extending  towards  the  Gallic  coast,  portends  that 
you  shall  have  a  most  potent  son,  to  whose  power  all  those 
kingdoms  shall  be  subject  over  which  the  ray  reaches.  But 
the  other  ray  signifies  a  daughter,  whose  sons  and  grandsons 
shall  successively  enjoy  the  kingdom  of  Britain." 

Chap.  XVI. — Pascentius  and  Gillomanius  are  killed  in  battle* 

Uther,  though  he  doubted  of  the  truth  of  what  Merlin  had 
declared,  pursued  his  march  against  the  enemy,  for  he  was 
now  come  within  half  a  day's  march  of  Menevia.  When  Gil- 
lomanius, Pascentius,  and  the  Saxons  were  informed  of  his 
approach,  they  went  out  to  give  him  battle.  As  soon  as 
they  were  come  within  sight  of  each  other,  both  armies  began 
to  form  themselves  into  several  bodies,  and  then  advanced  to 


A.V.  509.]  OTHEB,  KING  OF  BEITADf.  221 

a  close  attack,  in  which  both  sides  suffered  a  loss  of  men,  as 
usually  happens  in  sueh  engagements.  At  last,  towards  the 
close  of  the  day,  the  advantage  was  on  Uther's  side,  and  the 
death  of  Gillomanius  and  Pascentius  made  a  way  for  com- 
plete victory.  So  that  the  barbarians,  being  put  to  flight, 
hastened  to  their  ships,  but  were  slain  by  their  pursuers. 
Thus,  by  the  favour  of  Christ,  the  general  had  triumphant 
success,  and  then  with  all  possible  expedition,  after  so  great 
a  fatigue,  returned  back  to  Winchester  :  for  he  had  now 
been  informed,  by  messengers  that  arrived,  of  the  king's  sad 
fate,  and  of  his  burial  by  the  bishops  of  the  country,  near 
the  convent  of  Ambrius,  within  the  Giant's  Dance,  which 
in  his  lifetime  he  had  commanded  to  be  made.  For  upon 
hearing  the  news  of  his  death,  the  bishops,  abbats,  and  all 
the  clergy  of  that  province,  had  met  together  at  Winchester, 
to  solemnize  his  funeral.  And  because  in  his  lifetime  he 
had  given  orders  for  his  being  buried  in  the  sepulchre  which 
he  had  prepared,  they  therefore  carried  his  corpse  thither, 
and  performed  his  exsequies  with  royal  magnificence. 

Chap.  XVII. — Uther  Pendragon  is  made  king  of  Britain. 

But  Uther  his  brother,  having  assembled  the  clergy  of  the 
kingdom,  took  the  crown,  and  by  universal  consent  was 
advanced  to  the  kingdom.  And  remembering  the  explana- 
tion which  Merlin  had  made  of  the  star  above-mentioned, 
he  commanded  two  dragons  to  be  made  of  gold,  in  likeness 
of  the  dragon  which  he  had  seen  at  the  ray  of  the  star.  As 
soon  as  they  were  finished,  which  was  done  with  wonderful 
nicety  of  workmanship,  he  made  a  present  of  one  to  the 
cathedral  church  of  Winchester,  but  reserved  the  other  for 
himself,  to  be  carried  along  with  him  to  his  wars.  From 
this  time,  therefore,  he  was  called  Uther  Pendragon,  which 
in  the  British  tongue  signifies  the  ciragon's  head  ;  the  occa- 
sion of  this  appellation  being  Merlin's  predicting,  from  the 
appearance  of  a  dragon,  that  he  should  be  king.  / 

Chap.  XVIII. — Octa  and  Eosa  are  taken  in  battle. 

In  the  meantime  Octa  the  son  of  Hengist,  and  his  kinsman 
Eosa,  seeing  they  were  no  longer  bound  by  the  treaty  which 
they  had  made  with  Aurelius  Ambrosius,  began  to  raise  dis- 


222  Geoffrey's  britjsh  history.      [BooKnn.cH.is. 

turbances  against  the  king,  and  infest  his  countries.  For 
they  were  now  joining  with  the  Saxons  whom  Pascentius 
had  brought  over,  and  sending  messengers  into  G-ermany  for 
the  rest.  Being  therefore  attended  with  a  vast  army,  he  in- 
vaded the  northern  provinces,  and  in  an  outrageous  manner 
destroyed  all  the  cities  and  fortified  places,  from  Albania  to 
York.  At  last,  as  he  was  beginning  the  siege  of  that  city, 
Uther  Pendragon  came  upon  him  with  the  whole  power  of 
the  kingdom,  and  gave  him  battle.  The  Saxons  behaved 
with  great  gallantry,  and,  having  sustained  the  assaults  of 
the  Britons,  forced  them  to  fly;  and  upon  this  advantage 
pursued  them  with  slaughter  to  the  mountain  Damen,  which 
was  as  long  as  they  could  do  it  with  day-light.  The  moun- 
tain was  high,  and  had  a  hazel-wood  upon  the  top  of  it,  and 
about  the  middle  broken  and  cavernous  rocks,  which  were  a 
harbour  to  wild  beasts.  The  Britons  made  up  to  it,  and 
stayed  there  all  night  among  the  rocks  and  hazel-bushes, 
But  as  it  began  to  draw  towards  day,  Uther  commanded  the 
consuls  and  princes  to  be  called  together,  that  he  might  conr 
suit  with  them  in  what  manner  to  assault  the  enemy.  Wherer 
upon  they  forthwith  appeared  before  the  king,  who  com- 
manded them  to  give  their  advice  ;  and  Grorlois,  duke  of 
Cornwall,  had  orders  to  deliver  his  opinion  first*  out  of  regard 
to  his  years  and  great  experience.  "  There  is  no  occasion,* 
said  he,  "  for  ceremonies  or  speeches,  while  we  see  that  it  is 
still  night ;  but  there  is  for  boldness  and  courage,  if  you 
desire  any  longer  enjoyment  of  your  life  and  liberty.  The 
pagans  are  very  numerous,  and  eager  to  fight,  and  we  much 
inferior  to  them  in  number  ;  so  that  if  we  stay  till  daybreak, 
we  cannot,  in  my  opinion,  attack  them  to  advantage.  Come 
on,  therefore,  while  we  have  the  favour  of  the  night,  let  us 
go  down  in  a  close  body,  and  surprise  them  in  their  camp 
with  a  sudden  assault.  There  can  be  no  doubt  of  success, 
if  with  one  consent  we  fall  upon  them  boldly,  while  they 
think  themselves  secure,  and  have  no  expectation  of  our 
coming  in  such  a  manner."  The  king  and  all  that  were  pre- 
sent, were  pleased  with  his  advice,  and  pursued  it  For  as 
soon  as  they  were  armed  and  placed  in  their  ranks,  they 
made  towards  the  enemies'  camp,  designing  a  general  assault 
But  upon  approaching  to  it,  they  were  discovered  by  the 
watch,  who  with  sound  of  trumpet  awaked  their  companions. 


?G&]  QCTA  AND,  EOSA  TAKEN  PRISONERS,  223 

•  enemies  being  hereupon  put  into  confusion  and  astonish- 
it,  part  of  them  hastened  towards  the  sea,  and  part  ran 
ind  down  whithersoever  their  fear  or  precipitation  drove 
q.  The  Britons,  finding  their  coming  discovered,  hastened 
r  march,  and  keeping  still  close  together  in  their  ranks, 
iled  the  camp  ;  into  which  when  they  had  found  an  en- 
ce,  they  ran  with  their  drawn  swords  upon  the  enemy  ; 

in  this  sudden  surprise  made  but  a  faint  defence  against 
r  vigorous  and  regular  attack  ;  and  pursuing  this  blow 
i  great  eagerness  they  destroyed  some  thousands  of  the 
ins,  took  Qcta  and  Eosa  prisoners,  and  entirely  dispersed 
Saxons. 

».  XIX. — Uther,  falling  in  love  with  Igerna,  enjoys  her  by  the  assist", 
ance  of  Merlin's  magical  operations. 

er  this  victory  Uther  repaired  to  the  city  of  Alclud, 
re  he  settled  the  affairs  of  that  province,  and  restored 
e  everywhere.  He  also  made  a  progress  round  all  the 
itries  of  the  Scots,  and  tamed  the  fierceness  of  that  rebel- 
\  people,  by  such  a  strict  administration  of  justice,  as 
j  of  his  predecessors  had  exercised  before :  so  that  in 
ime  offenders  were  everywhere  under  great  terror,  since 
were  sure  of  being  punished  without  mercy.  At  last, 
q  he  had  established  peace  in  the  northern  provinces,  he 
t  to  London,  and  commanded  Octa  and  Eosa  to  be  kept 
rison  there.  The  Easter  following  he  ordered  all  the 
lity  of  the  kingdom  to  meet  at  that  city,  in  order  to 
jrate  that  great  festival ;  in  honour  of  which  he  designed 
ear  his  crown.  The  summons  was  everywhere  obeyed, 
there  was  a  great  concourse  from  all  cities  to  celebrate 
day.  So  the  king  observed  the  festival  with  great 
nnity,  as  he  had  designed,  and  very  joyfully  entertained 
nobility,  of  whom  there  was  a  very  great  muster,  with 

•  wives  and  daughters,  suitably  to  the  magnificence  of 
>anquet  prepared  for  them.     And  having  been  received 

joy  by  the  king,  they  also  expressed  the  same  in 

•  deportment  before  him.     Among   the   rest   was  pre-     , 
Gorlois,  duke  of  Cornwall,  with  his  wife  Igerna,  the  4^ 
best  beauty  in  all  Britain.     No  sooner  had  the  king  cast  ' 
;yes  upon  her  among  the  rest  of  the  ladies,  than  he  fell 
onately  in  love  with  her,  and  little  regarding  the  res,^ 


224  Geoffrey's  British  history.        [book  tiii.  ch.  io. 

made  her  the  subject  of  all  his  thoughts.  She  was  the  only 
lady  that  he  continually  served  with  fresh  dishes,  and  to 
whom  he  sent  golden  cups  by  his  confidants  ;  on  her  he 
bestowed  all  his  smiles,  and  to  her  addressed  all  his  dis- 
course. The  husband,  discovering  this,  fell  into  a  great 
rage,  and  retired  from  the  court  without  taking  leave :  nor 
was  there  any  body  that  could  stop  him,  while  he  Was  under 
fear  of  losing  the  chief  object  of  his  delight.  Uther,  there- 
fore, in  great  wrath  commanded  him  to  return  back  to  court, 
to  make  him  satisfaction  for  this  affront.  But  G-orlois 
refused  to  obey ;  upon  which  the  king  was  highly  incensed, 
and  swore  he  would  destroy  his  country,  if  he  did  not 
speedily  compound  for  his  offence.  Accordingly,  without 
delay,  while  their  anger  was  hot  against  each  other,  the  king 
got  together  a  great  army,  and  inarched  into  Cornwall,  the 
cities  and  towns  whereof  he  set  on  fire.  But  Gorlois  durst 
not  engage  with  him,  on  account  of  the  inferiority  of  his 
numbers  ;  and  thought  it  a  wiser  course  to  fortify  his  towns, 
till  he  could  get  succour  from  Ireland.  And  as  he  was  under 
more  concern  for  his  wife  than  himself,  he  put  her  into  the 
town  of  Tintagel,*  upon  the  sea-shore,  which  he  looked 
upon  as  a  place  of  great  safety.  But  he  himself  entered  the 
castle  of  Dimilioc,  to  prevent  their  being  both  at  once  in- 
volved in  the  same  danger,  if  any  should  happen.  The  king, 
informed  of  this,  went  to  the  town  where  Gorlois  was,  which 
he  besieged,  and  shut  up  all  the  avenues  to  it.  A  whole 
week  was  now  past,  when,  retaining  in  mind  his  love  to 
Igerna,  he  said  to  one  of  Ins  confidants,  named  Ulfin  de 
Eicaradoch  :  "  My  passion  for  Igerna  is  such,  that  I  can 
neither  have  ease  of  mind,  nor  health  of  body,  till  I  obtain 
her  :  and  if  you  cannot  assist  me  with  your  advice  how  to 
accomplish  my  desire,  the  inward  torments-i-  endure  will  kill 
me." — "Who  can  advise  you  in  tin's  matter,"  said  Ulfin, 
"  when  no  force  will  enable  us  to  have  access  to  her  in  the 
town  of  Tintagel  ?  For  it  is  situated  upon  tjie  sea,  and  on 
every  side  surrounded  by  it ;  and  there  is  bu^  one  entrance 
into  it,  and  that  through  a  straight  rock,  which  three  men 
shall  be  able  to  defend  against  the  whole  power  of  the  king- 
dom.    Notwithstanding,  if  the  prophet   Merlin  would  in 

*  The  ruins  of  this  castle  denote  that  it  must  have  been  a  place  of  great 
strength. 


a.d.  492.]  UTHER  AND  OTHERS  METAMORPHOSED.  22$ 

earnest  set  about  this  attempt,  I  am  of  opinion,  you  might 
with  his  advice  obtain  your  wishes."  The  king  readily  be- 
lieved what  he  was  so  well  inclined  to,  and  ordered  Merlin, 
who  was  also  come  to  the  siege,  to  be  called.  Merlin,  there- 
fore, being  introduced  into  the  king*s  presence,  was  com- 
manded to  give  his  advice,  how  the  king  might  accomplish 
Ids  desire  with  respect  to  Igerna.  And  he,  finding  the  great 
anguish  of  the  king,  was  moved  by  such  excessive  love,  and 
said,  "  To  accomplish  your  desire,  you  must  make  use  of 
such  arts  as  have  not  been  heard  of  in  your  time.  1  know 
how,  by  the  force  of  my  medicines,  to  give  you  the  exact 
likeness  of  Gorlois,  so  that  in  all  respects  you  shall  seem  to 
be  no  other  than  himself.  If  you  will  therefore  obey  my 
prescriptions,  I  will  metamorphose  you  into  the  true  sem- 
blance of  Gorlois,  and  Ulfin  into  Jordan  of  Tintagel,  his 
familiar  friend ;  and  I  myself,  being  transformed  into  another 
shape,  will  make  the  third  in  the  adventure  ;  and  in  this 
disguise  you  may  go  safely  to  the  town  where  Igerna  is,  and 
have  admittance  to  her."  The  king  complied  with  the  pro- 
posal, and  acted  with  great  caution  in  this  affair  ;  and  when 
he  had  committed  the  care  of  the  siege  to  his  intimate 
friends,  underwent  the  medical  applications  of  Merlin,  by 
whom  he  was  transformed  into  the  likeness  of  Gorlois  ;  as 
was  Ulfin  also  into  Jorian,  and  Merlin  himself  into  Bricel ; 
so  that  nobody  could  see  any  remains  now  of  their  former 
likeness.  They  then  set  forward  on  their  way  to  Tintagel, 
at  which  they  arrived  in  the  evening  twilight,  and  forthwith 
signified  to  the  porter,  that  the  consul  was  come  ;  upon  which  . 
the  gates  were  opened,  and  the  men  let  in.  For  what  room 
could  there  be  for  suspicion,  when  Gorlois  himself  seemed  to 
be  there  present  ?  The  king  therefore  stayed  that  night  with 
Igerna,  and  had  the  full  enjoyment  of  her,  for  she  was  de- 
ceived with  the  false  disguise  which  he  had  put  on,  and  the 
artful  and  amorous  discourses  wherewith  he  entertained  her. 
He  told  her  he  had  left  his  own  place  besieged,  purely  to 
provide  for  the  safety  of  her  dear  self,  and  the  town  she  was 
in  ;  so  that  believing  all  that  he  said,  she  refused  him  nothing 
which  he  desired.  The  same  night  therefore  she  conceived  [y 
of  the  most  renowned  Arthur,  whosefl|e*oic  and  wonderful 
actions  have  justly  rendered  his  nameflSnxous  to  posterity. 

Q 


226  Geoffrey's  brutish  history,  [boqk  vm.  cb.  201 21, 

Chap.  XX.— Gorlois  being  kitted,  Uther  marries  Igerna, 

In  the  meantime,  as  soon  as  the  king's  absence  was  discovered 
at  the  siege,  his  army  unadvisedly  made  an  assault  upon  the 
walls,  and  provoked  the  besieged  count  to  a  battle  ;  who 
himself  also,  acting  as  inconsiderately  as  they,  sallied  forth 
with  his  men,  thinking  with  such  a  small  handful  to  oppose 
a  powerful  army ;  but  happened  to  be  killed  in  the  very  first 
brunt  of  the  fight,  and  had  all  his  men  routed.  The  town 
also  was  taken  ;  but  all  the  riches  of  it  were  not  shared 
equally  among  the  besiegers,  but  every  one  greedily  took 
what  he  could  get,  according  as  fortune  or  his  own  strength 
favoured  him.  After  this  bold  attempt,  came  messengers  to 
Igerna,  with  the  news  both  of  the  duke's  death,  and  of  the 
event  of  the  siege.  But  when  they  saw  the  king  in  the 
likeness  of  the  consul,  sitting  close  by  her,  they  were  struck 
with  shame  and  astonishment  at  his  safe  arrival  there,  whom 
they  had  left  dead  at  the  siege ;  for  they  were  wholly 
ignorant  of  the  miracles  which  Merlin  had  wrought  with  his 
medicines.  The  king  therefore  smiled  at  the  news,  and  em- 
bracing the  countess,  said  to  her :  "Your  own  eyes  may 
convince  you  that  I  am  not  dead,  but  alive.  But  notwith- 
standing, the  destruction  of  the  town,  and  the  slaughter  of 
my  men,  is  what  very  much  grieves  me ;  so  that  there  is 
reason  to  fear  the  king's  coming  upon  us,  and  taking  us  in 
this  place.  To  prevent  which,  I  will  go  out  to  meet  him, 
and  make  my  peace  with  him,  for  fear  of  a  worse  disaster.* 
Accordingly,  as  soon  as  he  was  out  of  the  town,  he  went  to 
his  army,  and  having  put  off  the  disguise  of  Gorlois,  was 
now  Uther  Pendragon  again.  When  he  had  a  full  relation 
made  to  him  how  matters  had  succeeded,  he  was  sorry  for 
the  death  of  Gorlois,  but  rejoiced  that  Igerna  was  now  at 
liberty  to  marry  again.  Then  he  returned  to  the  town  of 
Tintagel,  which  he  took,  and  in  it,  what  he  impatiently 
wished  for,  Igerna  herself.  After  this  they  continued  to 
live  together  with  much  affection  for  each  other,  and  had  a 
son  and  daughter,  whose  names  were  Arthur  and  Anne* 

Chap.  XXI.— Octo  and  Eosa  renew  the  war*   Lot,  a  consul,  marries  the 
king* s  daughter. 

In  process  of  time  the  king  was  taken  ill  of  a  lingering 
distemper ;    and    meanwhile   the   keepers   of   the    prison, 


a-d.  493. J         UTHER  CARRIED  TO  THE  BATTLE-FIELD.  227 

wherein  Oota  and  Eosa  (as  we  related  before)  led  a  weary 
life,  had  fled  over  with  them  into  Germany,  and  occasioned 
great  fear  over  the  kingdom.  For  there  was  a  report  of  their 
great  levies  in  Germany,  and  the  vast  fleet  which  they  had 
prepared  for  their  return  to  destroy  the  island :  which  the 
event  verified.  For  they  returned  in  a  great  fleet,  and  with 
a  prodigious  number  of  men,  and  invaded  the  parts  of 
Albania,  where  they  destroyed  both  cities  and  inhabitants 
with  fire  and  sword.  Wherefore,  in  order  to  repulse  the 
enemies,  the  command  of  the  British  army  was  committed  to 
Lot  of  Londonesia,  who  was  a  consul,  and  a  most  valiant 
knight,  and  grown  up  to  maturity  both  of  years  and  wisdom. 
Out  of  respect  to  his  eminent  merits,  the  king  had  given  him 
his  daughter  Anne,  and  entrusted  him  with  the  care  of  the 
kingdom,  during  his  illness.  In  his  expedition  against  the 
enemies  he  had  various  success,  being  often  repulsed  by 
them,  and  forced  to  retreat  to  the  cities ;  but  he  oftener 
routed  and  dispersed  them,  and  compelled  them  to  flee 
sometimes  into  the  woods,  sometimes  to  their  ships.  So 
that  in  a  war  attended  with  so  many  turns  of  fortune,  it 
was  hard  to  know  which  side  had  the  better.  The  greatest 
injury  to  the  Britons  was  their  own  pride,  in  disdaining 
to  obey  the  consul's  commands ;  for  which  reason  all 
their  efforts  against  the  enemy  were  less  vigorous  and 
successful. 


Chap.  XXII. — Uther,  being  ill,  is  carried  in  a  horse-litter  against  the 
enemy. 

The  island  being  by  this  conduct  now  almost  laid  waste,  the 
king,  having  information  of  the  matter,  fell  into  a  greater 
rage  than  his  weakness  could  bear,  and  commanded  all  his 
nobility  to  come  before  him,  that  he  might  reprove  them 
severely  for  their  pride  and  cowardice.  And  as  soon  as  they 
were  all  entered  into  his  presence,  he  sharply  rebuked  them 
in  menacing  language,  and  swore  he  himself  would  lead  them 
against  the  enemy.  For  this  purpose  he  ordered  a  horse- 
litter  to  be  made,  in  which  he  designed  to  be  carried,  for  his 
infirmity  would  not  suffer  him  to  use  any  other  sort  of 
vehicle  ;  and  he  charged  them  to  be  all  ready  to  march 
against  the  enemy  on  the  first  opportunity.     So,  without 

o2 


22S  GEOFFREYS  BRITISH  HIS'TORY.      [book  Viir.  cm.  li 

delay,  the  horse-litter  and  all  his  attendants  were  got  ready, 
and  the  day  arrived  which  had  been  appointed  for  their 
march. 

Chap.  XXIII. — Octa  and  Eosa,  with  a  great  number  of  their  men,  are 

killed. 

The  king,  therefore,  being  put  into  his  vehicle,  they  marched 
directly  to  Verulam,  where  the  Saxons  were  grievously 
oppressing  the  people.  When  Octa  and  Eosa  had  intelligence 
that  the  Britons  were  come,  and  that  the  king  was  brought 
in  a  horse-litter,  they  disdained  to  fight  with  him,  saying,  it 
would  be  a  shame  for  such  brave  men  to  fight  with  one  that 
was  half  dead.  For  which  reason  they  retired  into  the  city, 
and,  as  it  were  in  contempt  of  any  danger  from  the  enemy, 
left  their  gates  wide  open.  But  Uther,  upon  information 
of  this,  instantly  commanded  his  men  to  lay  siege  to  the  city, 
and  assault  the  walls  on  all  sides  ;  which  orders  they  strictly 
executed ;  and  were  just  entering  the  breaches  which  they 
had  made  in  the  walls,  and  ready  to  begin  a  general  assault, 
when  the  Saxons,  seeing  the  advantages  which  the  Britons 
had  gained,  and  being  forced  to  abate  somewhat  of  their 
haughty  pride,  condescended  so  far  as  to  put  themselves  into 
a  posture  of  defence.  They  therefore  mounted  the  walls, 
from  whence  they  poured  down  showers  of  arrows,  and 
repulsed  the  Britons.  On  both  sides  the  contest  continued 
till  night  released  them  from  the  fatigue  of  their  arms,  which 
was  what  many  of  the  Britons  desired,  though  the  greater 
part  of  them  were  for  having  the  matter  quickly  decided 
with  the  enemy.  The  Saxons,  on  the  other  hand,  finding 
how  prejudicial  their  own  pride  had  been  to  them,  and  that 
the  advantage  was  on  the  side  of  the  Britons,  resolved  to 
make  a  sally  at  break  of  day,  and  try  their  fortune  with  the 
enemy  in  the  open  field  ;  which  accordingly  was  done.  For 
no  sooner  was  it  daylight,  than  they  marched  out  with  this 
design,  all  in  their  proper  ranks.  The  Britons,  seeing  them, 
divided  their  men  into  several  bodies,  and  advancing  towards 
them,  began  the  attack  first,  their  part  being  to  assault,  while 
the  others  were  only  upon  the  defensive.  However,  much 
blood  was  shed  on  both  sides,  and  the  greatest  part  of  the 
day  spent  in  the  fight,  when  at  last,  Octa  and  Eosa  being 
killed,  the  Saxons  turned  their  backs,  and  left  the  Britons  a 


ad.  494]  T7THBB  TREACHEROUSLY  POISONED.  229 

complete  victory.  The  king  at  this  was  in  such  an  ecstasy 
of  joy,  that  whereas  before  he  could  hardly  raise  up  himself 
without  the  help  of  others,  he  now  without  any  difficulty  sat 
upright  in  his  horse-litter  of  himself,  as  if  he  was  on  a  sudden 
restored  to  health ;  and  said  with  a  laughing  and  merry 
countenance,  "  These  Ambrons  called  me  the  half-dead  king, 
because  my  sickness  obliged  me  to  lie  on  a  horse-litter  ;  and 
indeed  so  I  was.  Yet  victory  to  me  half  dead,  is  better  than 
to  be  safe  and  sound  and  vanquished.  For  to  die  witfc. 
honour,  is  preferable  to  living  with  disgrace." 

Chap.  XXIV. — Uther9  upon  drinking  spring  water  that  was  treacherously 
poisoned  by  the  Saxons,  dies. 

The  Savons,  notwithstanding  this  defeat,  persisted  still  in 
their  malice,  and  entering  the  northern  provinces,  without 
respite  infested  the  people  there.  Uther's  purpose  was  to 
have  pursued  them  ;  but  his  princes  dissuaded  him  from  it, 
because  his  illness  had  increased  since  the  victory.  This 
gave  new  courage  to  the  enemy,  who  left  nothing  unattempted 
to  make  conquest  of  the  kingdom.  And  now  they  have 
recourse  to  their  former  treacherous  practices,  and  contrive 
how  to  compass  the  king's  death  by  secret  villainy.  And 
because  they  could  have  no  access  to  him  otherwise,  they 
resolved  to  take  him  off  by  poison ;  in  which  they  succeeded. 
For  while  he  was  lying  ill  at  Verulam,  they  sent  away  some 
spies  in  a  poor  habit,  to  learn  the  state  of  the  court ;  and 
when  they  had  thoroughly  informed  themselves  of  the 
posture  of  affairs,  they  found  out  an  expedient  by  which 
they  might  best  accomplish  their  villainy.  For  there  was 
near  the  court  a  spring  of  very  clear  water,  which  the  king 
used  to  drink  of,  when  his  distemper  had  made  all  other 
liquors  nauseous  to  him.  This  the  detestable  conspirators 
made  use  of  to  destroy  him,  by  so  poisoning  the  whole  mass 
of  water  which  sprang  up,  that  the  next  time  the  king  drank 
of  it,  he  was  siezed  with  sudden  death,  as  were  also  a  hundred 
other  persons  after  him,  till  the  villainy  was  discovered,  and  a 
heap  of  earth  thrown  over  the  well.  As  soon  as  the  king's 
death  was  divulged,  the  bishops  and  clergy  of  the  kingdom 
assembled,  and  carried  his  body  to  the  convent  of  Ambrius, 
where  they  buried  it  with  regal  solemnity,  close  by  Aurelius 
Ambrosius,  within  the  Giant's  Dance. 


u 


230  geoffeet's  British  histobt.       r»oo*nt.c».i. 

.•3  * 

j  ^   *'  BOOK  IX. 

f 

Chap.  I. — Arthur  succeeds  Uther  his  father  in  the  kingdom  of  Britain, 
and  besieges  Colgrin, 

Uther  Pendragon  being  dead,  the  nobility  from  several 
provinces  assembled  together  at  Silchester,  and  proposed  to 
Dubricius,  archbishop  of  Legions,  that  he  should  consecrate 
Arthur,  Uther's  son,  to  be  their  king.  For  they  were  now 
in  great  straits,  because,  upon  hearing  of  the  long's  death, 
the  Saxons  had  invited  over  their  countrymen  from  Germany, 
and,  under  the  command  of  Colgrin,  were  attempting  to  ex- 
terminate the  whole  British  race.  They  had  also  entirely 
/subdued  all  that  part  of  the  island  which  extends  from  the 
/Humber  to  the  sea  of  Caithness.  Dubricius,  therefore, 
/grieving  for  the  calamities  of  his  country,  in  conjunction 
/  with  the  other  bishops,  set  the  crown  upon  Arthur's  head. 
u  '  Arthur  was  then  fifteen  years  old,  but  a  youth  of  such 
unparalleled  courage  and  generosity,  joined  with  that  sweet- 
ness of  temper  and  innate  goodness,  as  gained  him  universal 
love.  When  his  coronation  was  over,  he,  according  to  usual 
custom,  showed  his  bounty  and  munificence  to  the  people. 
And  such  a  number  of  soldiers  flocked  to  him  upon  it,  that 
his  treasury  was  not  able  to  answer  that  vast  expense.  But 
such  a  spirit  of  generosity,  joined  with  valour,  can  never  long 
want  means  to  support  Itself.  Arthur,  therefore,  the  better 
to  keep  up  his  munificence,  resolved  to  make  use  of  his 
courage,  and  to  fall  upon  the  Saxons,  that  he  might  enrich 
his  followers  with  their  wealth.  To  this  he  was  also  moved 
by  the  justice  of  the  cause,  since  the  entire  monarchy  of 
Britain  belonged  to  him  by  hereditary  right.  Hereupon 
assembling  the  youth  under  his  command,  he  marched  to 
^fYork,  of  which,  when  Colgrin  had  intelligence,  he  met  him 
"/with  a  very  great  army,  composed  of  Saxons,  Scots,  and 
!,  Picts,  by  the  river  Duglas  ;  where  a  battle  happened,  with 
the  loss  of  the  greater  part  of  both  armies.  Notwithstanding, 
the  victory  fell  to  Arthur,  who  pursued  Colgrin  to  York,  and 
there  besieged  him.  Baldulph,  upon  the  news  of  his  brother's 
flight,  went  towards  the  siege  with  a  body  of  six  thousand 
men,  to  his  relief ;  for  at  the  time  of  the  battle  he  was  upon 


a.d.500.]  ARTHUR  BESIEGES  C0LGR1K.  2S1 

the  sea-coast,  waiting  the  arrival  of  duke  Cheldric  with 
succours  from  Germany.  And  being  now  no  more  than  ten 
miles  distant  from  the  city,  his  purpose  was  to  tnake  a  speedy 
march  in  the  night-time,  and  fall  upon  the  enemy  by  way  of 
surprise.  But  Arthur,  having  intelligence  of  his  design,  sent 
a  detachment  of  six  hundred  horse,  and  three  thousand  foot, 
under  the  command  of  Cador,  duke  of  Cornwall,  to  meet  him 
the  same  night.  Cador,  therefore,  falling  into  the  same  road 
along  which  the  enemy  was  passing,  made  a  sudden  assault 
upon  them,  and  entirely  defeated  the  Saxons,  and  put  them 
to  flight.  Baldulph  was  excessively  grieved  at  this  disap- 
pointment in  the  relief  which  he  intended  for  his  brother, 
and  began  to  think  of  some  other  stratagem  to  gain  access  to 
'him  ;  in  which  if  he  could  but  succeed,  he  thought  they 
might  concert  measures  together  for  their  safety.  And  since 
he  had  no  other  way  for  it,  he  shaved  his  head  and  beard, 
and  put  on  the  habit  of  a  jester  with  a  harp,  and  in  this 
disguise  walked  up  and  down  in  the  camp,  playing  upon  his 
instrument  as  if  he  had  been  a  harper.  He  thus  passed 
unsuspected,  and  by  a  little  and  little  went  up  to  the  walls 
of  the  city,  where  he  was  at  last  discovered  by  the  besieged, 
who  thereupon  drew  him  up  with  cords,  and  conducted  him 
to  his  brother.  At  this  unexpected,  though  much  desired 
meeting,  they  spent  some  time  in  joyfully  embracing  each 
other,  and  then  began  to  consider  various  stratagems  for 
their  delivery.  At  last,  just  as  they  were  considering  their 
case  desperate,  the  ambassadors  returned  from  Germany,  and 
brought  with  them  to  Albania  a  fleet  of  six  hundred  sail, 
laden  with  brave  soldiers,  under  the  command  of  Qheldric. 
Upon  this  news,  Arthur  was  dissuaded  by  his  council  from 
continuing  the  siege  any  longer,  for  fear  of  hazarding  a  battle 
with  so  powerful  and  numerous  an  army. 

Chap.  II. — Hoel  sends  fifteen  thousand  men  to  Arthur's  assistance. 

Arthur  complied  with  their  advice,  and  made  his  retreat  to 
London,  where  he  called  an  assembly  of  all  the  clergy  and 
nobility  of  the  kingdom,  to  ask  their  advice,  what  course  to 
take  against  the  formidable  power  of  the  pagans.  After 
some  deliberation,  it  was  agreed  that  ambassadors  should  be 
despatched  into  Armorica,  to  king  Hoel,  to  represent  to  him 


232  Geoffrey's  British  history.       [book  ix.  ch.  * 

the  calamitous  state  of  Britain.  Hoel  was  the  son  of  Arthur's 
sister  by  Dubricius,  king  of  the  Armorican  Britons ;  so  that, 
upon  advice  of  the  disturbances  his  uncle  was  threatened 
with,  he  ordered  his  fleet  to  be  got  ready,  and,  haying 
assembled  fifteen  thousand  men,  he  arrived  with  the  first 
fair  wind  at  Hamo's  Port,*  and  was  received  with  all  suit- 
able honour  by  Arthur,  and  most  affectionately  embraced 
by  him. 

Chap.  III. — Arthur  makes  the  Saxons  his,  tributaries. 

After  a  few  days  they  went  to  relieve  the  city  Kaerliudcoit, 
that  was  besieged  by  the  pagans ;  which  being  situated  upon 
a  mountain,  between  two  rivers  in  the  province  of  Lindisia> 
is  called  by  another  name  Lindocolinum.f  As  soon  as  they 
arrived  there  with  all  their  forces,  they  fought  with  the 
Saxons,  and  made  a  grievous  slaughter  of  them,  to  the  num- 
ber of  six  thousand;  part  of  whom  were  drowned  in  the 
rivers,  part  fell  by  the  hands  of  the  Britons.  The  rest  in  a 
great  consternation  quitted  the  siege  and  fled,  but  were 
closely  pursued  by  Arthur,  till  they  came  to  the  wood  of 
Celidon,  where  they  endeavoured  to  form  themselves  into  a 
body  again,  and  make  a  stand.  And  here  they  again  joined 
battle  with  the  Britons,  and  made  a  brave  defence,  whilst 
the  trees  that  were  in  the  place  secured  them  against  the 
enemies'  arrows.  Arthur,  seeing  this,  commanded  the  trees 
that  were  in  that  part  of  the  wood  to  be  cut  down,  and  the 
trunks  to  be  placed  quite  round  them,  so  as  to  hinder  their 
getting  out;  resolving  to  keep  them  pent  up  here  till  he 
could  reduce  them  by  famine.  He  then  commanded  his 
troops  to  besiege  the  wood,  and  continued  three  days  in  that 
place.  The  Saxons,  having  now  no  provisions  to  sustain 
them,  and  being  just  ready  to  starve  with  hunger,  begged 
for  leave  to  go  out ;  in  consideration  whereof  they  offered  to 
leave  all  their  gold  and  silver  behind  them,  and  return  back 
to  Germany  with  nothing  but  their  empty  ships.  They  pro- 
mised also  that  they  would  pay  him  tribute  from  Germany, 
and  leave  hostages  with  him.  Arthur,  after  consultation, 
about  it,  granted  their  petition ;  allowing  them  only  leave  to 
depart,  and  retaining  all  their  treasures,  as  also  hostages  for 

*  Southampton.  +  Lincoln. 


A.D.  501.  J  SPEECH  Oy  ST.  DUBRICIUS.  233 

payment  of  the  tribute.  But  as  they  were  under  sail  on 
their  return  home,  they  repented  of  their  bargain,  and 
tacked  about  again  towards  Britain,  and  went  on  shore  at 
Totness.  No  sooner  were  they  landed,  than  they  made  an 
utter  devastation  of  the  country  as  far  as  the  Severn  sea, 
and  put  all  the  peasants  to  the  sword.  From  thence  they 
pursued  their  furious  march  to  the  town  of  Bath,  and  laid 
siege  to  it.  When  the  king  had  intelligence  of  it,  he  was 
beyond  measure  surprised  at  their  proceedings,  and  immedi-? 
ately  gave  orders  for  the  execution  of  the  hostages.  And 
desisting  from  an  attempt  which  he  had  entered  upon  to  re- 
duce the  Scots  and  Picts,  he  marched  with  the  utmost  expe- 
dition to  raise  the  siege ;  but  laboured  under  very  great 
difficulties,  because  he  had  left  his  nephew  Hoel  sick  at 
Alclud.  At  length,  having  entered  the  province  of  Somerset* 
and  beheld  how  the  siege  was  carried  on,  he  addressed  him- 
self to  his  followers  in  these  words  :  "  Since  these  impious 
and  detestable  Saxons  have  disdained  to  keep  faith  with  me, 
I,  to  keep  faith  with  God,  will  endeavour  to  revenge  the 
blood  of  my  countrymen  this  day  upon  them.  To  arms, 
soldiers,  to  arms,  and  courageously  fall  upon  the  perfidious 
wretches,  over  whom  we  shall,  with  Christ  assisting  us,  un- 
doubtedly obtain  the  victory." 

Chap.  IV. — Dubricius's  speech  against  the  treacherous  Saxons.  Arthur 
with  his  own,hand  kills  four  hundred  and  seventy  Saxons  in  one  battle. 
Colgrin  and  Baldulph  are  killed  in  the  same. 

When  he  had  done  speaking,  St.  Dubricius,  archbishop  of 
Legions,  going  to  the  top  of  a  hill,  cried  out  with  a  loud 
voice,  "  You  that  have  the  honour  to  profess  the  Christian 
faith,  keep  fixed  in  your  minds  the  love  which  you  owe  to 
your  country  and  fellow  subjects,  whose  sufferings  by  the 
treachery  of  the  pagans  will  be  an  everlasting  reproach  to 
you,  if  you  do  not  courageously  defend  them.  It  is  your 
country  which  you  fight  for,  and  for  which  you  should,  when 
required,  voluntarily  suffer  death ;  for  that  itself  is  victory 
and  the  cure  of  the  soul.  For  he  that  shall  die  for  his  brer 
thren,  offers  himself  a  living  sacrifice  to  Grod,  and  has  Christ 
for  his  example,  who  condescended  to  lay  down  his  life  for 
his  brethren.  If  therefore  any  of  you  shall  be  killed  in 
this  war,  that  death  itself,  which  is  suffered  in  so  glorious  a 


¥ 


234  Geoffrey's  British  history.        [book  ql  ch.  l 

cause,  shall  be  to  him  for  penance  and  absolution  of  all  his 
sins."  At  these  words,  all  of  them,  encouraged  with  the 
benediction  of  the  holy  prelate,  instantly  armed  themselves, 
and  prepared  to  obey  his  orders.  Also  Arthur  himself,  hav- 
ing put  on  a  coat  of  mail  suitable  to  the  grandeur  of  80 
powerful  a  king,  placed  a  golden  helmet  upon  his  head,  on 
which  was  engraven  the  figure  of  a  dragon;  and  on  his 
shoulders  his  shield  nailed Priwen  ;  upon  which  the  picture 
of  the  blessed  Mary,  mother  of  'God,  was  painted,  in  order 
to  put  him  frequently  in  mind  of  her.  Then  girding  on  his 
Qajiburn,  which  was  an  excellent  sword  made  in  the  isle  of 
Avallori,  he  graced  his  "fight  hand  with  his  lance,  named 
Ron,  which  was  hard,  broad,  and  fit  for  slaughter.  After 
this,  having  placed  his  men  in  order,  he  boldly  attacked  the 
Saxons,  who  were  drawn  out  in  the  shape  of  a  wedge,  as 
their  manner  was.  And  they,  notwithstanding  that  the 
Britons  fought  with  great  eagerness,  made  a  noble  defence 
all  that  day ;  but  at  length,  towards  sunsetting,  climbed  up 
the  next  mountain,  which  served  them  for  a  camp  :  for  they 
desired  no  larger  extent  of  ground,  since  they  confided  very 
much  in  their  numbers.  The  next  morning  Arthur,  with 
his  army,  went  up  the  mountain,  but  lost  many  of  his  men 
in  the  ascent,  by  the  advantage  which  the  Saxons  had  in 
their  station  on  the  top,  from  whence  they  could  pour  down 
upon  him  with  much  greater  speed,  than  he  was  able  to  ad- 
vance against  them.  Notwithstanding,  after  a  very  hard 
struggle,  the  Britons  gained  the  summit  of  the  hill,  and 
quickly  came  to  a  close  engagement  with  the  enemy,  who 
again  gave  them  a  warm  reception,  and  made  a  vigorous  de- 
fence. In  this  manner  was  a  great  part  of  that  day  also 
spent ;  whereupon  Arthur,  provoked  to  see  the  little  advan- 
tage he  had  yet  gained,  and  that  victory  still  continued  in 
suspense,  drew  out  his  Caliburn,  and,  calling  upon  the  name 
of  the  blessed  Virgin,  rushed  forward  with  great  fury  into 
the  thickest  of  the  enemy's  ranks ;  of  whom  (such  was  the 
merit  of  his  prayers)  not  one  escaped  alive  that  felt  the  fury 
of  his  sword;  neither  did  he  give  over  the  fury  of  his 
assault  until  he  had,  with  his  Caliburn  alone,  killed  four 
hundred  and  seventy  men.  The  Britons,  seeing  this,  fol- 
lowed their  leader  in  great  multitudes,  and  made  slaughter 
on  all  sides ;  so  that  Colgrin,  and  Baldulph  his  brother,  and 


a.d.502.]  DEATH   OP   CHELDBIC.  235 

many  thousands  more,  fell  before  them.     But  Cheldric,  in 
this  imminent  danger  of  his  men,  betook  himself  to  flight. 


Chap.  V. — The  Saxons,  after  their  leader  Cheldric  wot  killed,  are  all 
compelled  by  Cador  to  surrender. 

The  victory  being  thus  gained,  the  king  commanded  Cador, 
duke  of  Cornwall,  to  pursue  them,  while  he  himself  should 
hasten  his  march  into  Albania :  from  whence  he  had  advice 
that  the  Scots  and  Picts  were  besieging  Alclud,  in  which,  as 
we  said  before,  Hoel  lay  sick.  Therefore  he  hastened  to  his 
assistance,  for  fear  he  might  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  bar- 
barians. In  the  meantime  the  duke  of  Cornwall,  who  had 
the  command  of  ten  thousand  men,  would  not  as  yet  pursue 
the  Saxons  in  their  flight,  but  speedily  made  himself  master 
of  their  ships,  to  hinder  their  getting  on  board,  and  manned 
them  with  his  best  soldiers,  who  were  to  beat  back  the 
pagans  in  case  they  should  flee  thither :  after  this  he  hastily 
pursued  the  enemy,  according  to  Arthur's  command,  and 
allowed  no  quarter  to  those  he  could  overtake*-  So  thai  they 
whose  behaviour  before  was  so  cruel  and  insolent,  tlo%  with 
timorous  hearts  fled  for  shelter,  sometimes  to  the  coverts  of 
the  woods,  sometimes  to  mountains  and  caves,  to  prolong  a 
wretched  life.  At  last,  when  none  of  these  places  could 
afford  them  a  safe  retreat,  they  entered  the  Isle  of  Thanet  with 
their  broken  forces  ;  but  neither  did  they  there  get  free  from 
the  duke  of  Cornwall's  pursuit,  for  he  still  continued  slaugh- 
tering them,  and  gave  them  no  respite  till  he  had  killed 
Cheldric,  and  taken  hostages  for  the  surrender  of  the 
rest. 

Chap.  VI. — Arthur  grants  a  pardon  to  the  Scots  and  Picts,  besieged  at 
the  Lake  Lumond. 

Having  therefore  settled  peace  here,  he  directed  his  march 
to  Alclud,  which  Arthur  had  relieved  from  the  oppression  of 
barbarians,  and  from  thence  conducted  his  army  to  Mureif, 
where  the  Scots  and  Picts  were  besieged  ;  after  three  several 
battles  with  the  king  and  his  nephew,  they  had  fled  as  far  as 
this  province,  and  entering  upon  the  lake  Lumond,  sought 
for  refuge  in  the  islands  that  are  upon  it.  This  lake  con- 
tains sixty  islands,  and  receives  sixty  rivers  into  it,  which 


236  Geoffrey's  British  history.       [book  lx.  ch.  7. 

empty  themselves  into  the  sea  by  no  more  than  one  mouth. 
There  is  also  an  equal  number  of  rocks  in  these  islands,  as 
also  of  eagles'  nests  in  those  rocks,  which  flocked  together 
there  every  year,  and,  by  the  loud  and  general  noise  which 
they  now  made,  foreboded  some  remarkable  event  that  should 
happen  to  the  kingdom.  To  these  islands,  therefore,  had 
the  enemy  fled,  thinking  the  lake  would  serve  them  instead 
of  a  fortification  ;  but  it  proved  of  little  advantage  to  them. 
For  Arthur,  having  got  together  a  fleet,  sailed  round  the 
rivers,  and  besieged  the  enemy  fifteen  days  together,  by  which 
they  were  so  straitened  with  hunger,  that  they  died  by  thou- 
sands. While  he  was  harassing  them  in  this  manner  Guil- 
lamurius,  king  of  Ireland,  came  up  in  a  fleet  with  a  very 
great  army  of  barbarians,  in  order  to  relieve  the  besieged. 
This  obliged  Arthur  to  raise  the  siege,  and  turn  his  arms 
against  the  Irish,  whom  he  slew  without  mercy,  and  com- 
pelled the  rest  to  return  back  to  their  country.  After  this 
victory,  he  proceeded  in  his  first  attempt,  which  was  to 
extirpate  the  whole  race  of  the  Scots  and  Picts,  and  treated 
them  with  an  unparalleled  severity.  And  as  he  allowed 
quarter  to  none,  the  bishops  of  that  miserable  country,  with 
all  the  inferior  clergy,  met  together,  and  bearing  the  reliques 
of  the  saints  and  other  consecrated  things  of  the  church 
before  them,  barefooted,  came  to  implore  the  king's  mercy 
for  their  people.  As  soon  as  they  were  admitted  into  his 
presence,  they  fell  down  upon  their  knees,  and  humbly  be- 
sought him  to  have  pity  on  their  distressed  country,  since 
the  sufferings  which  he  had  already  made  it  undergo,  were 
sufficient ;  nor  was  there  any  necessity  to  cut  off  the  small 
remainder  to  a  man  ;  and  that  he  would  allow  them  the 
enjoyment  of  a  small  part  of  the  country,  since  they  were 
willing  to  bear  the  yoke  which  he  should  impose  upon  them. 
The  king  was  moved  at  the  manner  of  their  delivering  this 
petition,  and  could  not  forbear  expressing  his  clemency  to 
them  with  tears  ;  and  at  the  request  of  those  holy  men, 
granted  them  pardon. 

Chap.  VII. — Arthur  relates  the  wonderful  nature  of  some  pond*. 

This  affair  being  concluded,  Hoel  had  the  curiosity  to  view 
the  situation  of  the  lake,  and  wondered  to  find  the  number 
of  the   rivers,  islands,  rocks,  and  eagles'  nests,  so  exactly 


ad.  503.]  WONDERS   OP   SOME   PONDS.  237 

correspond :  and  while  he  was  reflecting  upon  it  as  some- 
thing that  appeared  miraculous,  Arthur  came  to  him,  and 
told  him  of  another  pond  in  the  same  province,  which  was 
yet  more  wonderful.  For  not  far  from  thence  was  one  whose 
length  and  breadth  were  each  twenty  feet,  and  depth  five 
feet.  But  whether  its  square  figure  was  natural  or  arti- 
ficial, the  wonder  of  it  was,  there  were  four  different  sorts  of 
fishes  in  the  four  several  corners  of  it,  none  of  which  were 
ever  found  in  any  other  part  of  the  pond  but  their  own.  He 
told  him  likewise  of  another  pond  in  Wales,  near  the  Severn, 
called  by  the  country  people  Linligwan,  into  which  when  the 
sea  flows,  it  receives  it  in  the  manner  of  a  gulf,  but  so  as  to 
swallow  up  the  tide,  and  never  be  filled,  or  have  its  banks 
covered  by  it.  But  at  the  ebbing  of  the  sea,  it  throws  out 
the  waters  which  it  had  swallowed,  as  high  as  a  mountain^ 
and  at  last  dashes  and  covers  the  banks  with  them.  In  the 
meantime,  if  all  the  people  of  that  country  should  stand  near 
with  their  faces  towards  it,  and  happened  to  have  their  clothes 
sprinkled  with  the  dashing  of  the  waves,  they  would  hardly, 
if  at  all,  escape  being  swallowed  up  by  the  pond.  But  with 
their  backs  towards  it,  they  need  not  fear  being  dashed* 
though  they  stood  upon  the  very  banks. 

Chap.  VIII. — Arthur  restores  York  to  its  ancient  beauty,  especially  as  to 
its  churches,' 

The  king,  after  his  general  pardon  granted  to  the  Scots,  went 
to  York  to  celebrate  the  feast  of  Christ's  nativity,  which  was 
now  at  hand.  On  entering  the  city,  he  beheld  with  grief 
the  desolation  of  the  churches ;  for  upon  the  expulsion  of 
the  holy  Archbishop  Sanxo,  and  of  all  the  clergy  there, 
the  temples  which  were  half  burned  down,  had  no  longer 
divine  service  performed  in  them  :  so  much  had  the  impious 
rage  of  the  pagans  prevailed.  After  this,  in  an  assembly  o^* 
the  clergy  and  people,  he  appointed  Pyramus  his  chaplain 
metropolitan  of  that  see.  The  churches  that  lay  level  with 
the  ground,  he  rebuilt,  and  (which  was  their  chief  ornament) 
saw  them  filled  with  assemblies  of  devout  persons  of  both 
sexes.  Also  the  nobility  that  were  driven  out  by  the  dis- 
turbances of  the  Saxons,  he  restored  to  their  country. 


k 


238  Geoffrey's  British  history.        [boorix.ch.io. 


Chap.  IX.— Arthur  honours  Augusel  with  the  sceptre  of  the  Scots  ;  Urian 
with  that  o/Mureifs  and  Lot  with  the  consulship  of  Londonesia. 

There  were  there  three  brothers  of  royal  blood,  viz.  Lot, 
Urian,  and  Augusel,  who,  before  the  Saxons  had  prevailed, 
held  the  government  of  those  parts.  Being  willing  therefore 
to  bestow  on  these,  as  he  did  on  others,  the  rights  of  their 
ancestors,  he  restored  to  Augusel  the  sovereignty  over  the 
Scots;  his  brother  Urian  he  honoured  with  the  sceptre  of 
Mureif ;  and  Lot,  who  in  time  of  Aurelius  Ambrosius  had 
married  his  sister,  by  whom  he  had  two  sons,  Walgan  and 
Mojjred,  he  re-established  in  the  consulship  of  Londonesia, 
and  the  other  provinces  belonging  to  him.  At  length,  when 
the  whole  country  was  reduced  by  him  to  its  ancient  state, 
he  took  to  wife  Guanhumara,  descended  from  a  noble  family 
of  Romans,  who  was  educated  under  duke  Cador,  and  in 
beauty  surpassed  all  the  women  of  the  island. 

Chap.  X. — Arthur  adds  to  his  government  Ireland,  Iceland,  Gothland, 
and  the  Orkneys. 

The  next  summer  he  fitted  out  a  fleet,  and  made  an  expedi- 
tion into  Ireland,  which  he  was  desirous  to  reduce.  Upon 
landing  there,  he  was  met  by  king  Guillamurius  before  men- 
tioned, with  a  vast  number  of  men,  who  came  with  a  design 
to  fight  him ;  but  at  the  very  beginning  of  the  battle,  those 
naked  and  unarmed  people  were  miserably  routed,  and  fled 
to  such  places  as  lay  open  to  them  for  shelter.  Guillamurius 
also  in  a  short  time  was  taken  prisoner,  and  forced  to  submit ; 
as  were  also  all  the  other  princes  of  the  country  after  the 
king's  example,  being  under  great  consternation  at  what  had 
happened.  After  an  entire  conquest  of  Ireland,  he  made  a 
voyage  with  his  fleet  to  Iceland,  which  he  also  subdued. 
And  now  a  rumour  spreading  over  the  rest  of  the  islands, 
that  no  country  was  able  to  withstand  him,  Doldavius,  king 
of  Gothland,  and  Gunfasius,  king  of  the  Orkneys,  came 
voluntarily,  and  made  their  submission,  on  a  promise  of  pay- 
ing tribute.  Then,  as  soon  as  winter  was  over,  he  returned 
back  to  Britain,  where  having  established  the  kingdom,  to 
resided  in  it  for  twelve  years  together  in  peace. 


A.D.505.J  abthub's  conquests.  239 

Chap.  XI. — Arthur  subdues  Norway,  Dacia,  Aquitaine,  and  Gaul, 

After  this,  having  invited  over  to  him  all  persons  whatso- 
ever that  were  famous  for  valour  in  foreign  nations,  he  began 
to  augment  the  number  of  his  domestics,  and  introduced  such 
politeness  into  his  court,  as  people  of  the  remotest  countries 
thought  worthy  of  their  imitation.  So  that  there  was  not  a 
nobleman  who  thought  himself  of  any  consideration,  unless 
his  clothes  and  arms  were  made  in  the  same  fashion  as  those 
of  Arthur's  knights.  At  length  the  fame  of  his  munificence 
and  valour  spreading  over  the  whole  world,  he  became  a  ter- 
ror to  the  kings  of  other  countries,  who  grievously  feared 
the  loss  of  their  dominions,  if  he  should  make  any  attempt 
upon  them.  Being  much  perplexed  with  these  anxious  cares, 
they  repaired  their  cities  and  towers,  and  built  towns  in  con- 
venient places,  the  better  to  fortify  themselves  against  any 
enterprise  of  Arthur,  when  occasion  should  require.  Arthur, 
being  informed  of  what  they  were  doing,  was  delighted  to 
find  how  much  they  stood  in  awe  of  him,  and  formed  a 
design  for  the  conquest  of  all  Europe.  Then  having  pre- 
pared his  fleet,  he  first  attempted  Norway,  that  he  might 
procure  the  crown  of  it  for  Lot,  his  sister's  husband.  This 
Lot  was  the  nephew  of  Sichelin,  king  of  the  Norwegians, 
who  being  then  dead,  had  appointed  him  his  successor  in  the 
kingdom.  But  the  Norwegians,  disdaining  to  receive  him, 
had  advanced  one  Biculf  to  the  sovereignty,  and  having  for- 
tified their  cities,  thought  they  were  able  to  oppose  Arthur. 
Walgan,  the  son  of  Lot,  was  then  a  youth  twelve  years  old, 
and  was  recommended  by  his  uncle  to  the  service  of  pope 
Supplicius,  from  whom  he  received  arms.  But  to  return  to 
the  history  :  as  soon  as  Arthur  arrived  on  the  coast  of  Nor- 
way, king  Biculf,  attended  with  the  whole  power  of  that 
kingdom,  met  him,  and  gave  him  battle,  in  which,  after  a 
great  loss  of  blood  on  both  sides,  the  Britons  at  length  had 
the  advantage,  and  making  a  vigorous  charge,  killed  Riculf 
and  many  others  with  him.  Having  thus  defeated  them, 
they  set  the  cities  on  fire,  dispersed  the  country  people,  and 
pursued  the  victory  till  they  had  reduced  all  Norway,  as  also 
Dacia,  under  the  dominion  of  Arthur.  After  the  conquest 
of  these  countries,  and  establishment  of  Lot  upon  the  throne 
of  Norway,  Arthur  made  a  voyage  to  Gaul,  and  dividing  his 


240  Geoffrey's  britIsh  history;         [nooKix.cH.ii 

army  into  several  bodies,  began  to  lay  waste  that  country  on 
all  sides.  The  province  of  Gaul  was  then  committed  to 
Flollo,  a  Roman  tribune,  who  held  the  government  of  it  un- 
der the  emperor  Leo.  Upon  intelligence  of  Arthur's  coming, 
he  raised  all  the  forces  that  were  under  his  command,  and 
made  war  against  him,  but  without  success;  For  Arthur  was 
attended  with  the  youth  of  all  the  islands  that  he  had  sub- 
dued; for  which  reason  he  was  reported  to  have  such  an 
army  as  was  thought  invincible.  And  even  the  greater  part 
of  the  Gallic  army,  encouraged  by  his  bounty,  came  over  to 
his  service.  Therefore  Flollo,  seeing  the  disadvantages  he  lay 
under,  left  his  camp,  and  fled  with  a  small  number  to  Paris. 
There  having  recruited  his  army,  he  fortified  the  city,  and 
resolved  to  stand  another  engagement  with  Arthur.  But 
while  he  was  thinking  of  strengthening  himself  with  auxiliary 
forces  in  the  neighbouring  countries,  Arthur  came  upon 
him  unawares,  and  besieged  him  in  the  city.  When  a  month 
had  passed,  Flollo,  with  grief  observing  his  people  perish 
with  hunger,  sent  a  message  to  Arthur,  that  they  two  alone 
should  decide  the  conquest  for  the  kingdom  in  a  duel :  for 
being  a  person  of  great  stature,  boldness  and  courage,  he 
gave  this  challenge  in  confidence  of  success.  Arthur  was 
extremely  pleased  at  Flollo's  proposal,  and  sent  him  word 
back  again,  that  he  would  give  him  the  meeting  which  he 
desired.  A  treaty,  therefore,  being  on  both  sides  agreed  to^ 
.  they  met  together  in  the  island  without  the  city,  where  the 
people  waited  to  see  the  event.  They  were  both  gracefully 
armed,  and  mounted  on  admirably  swift  horses  ;  and  it  was 
hard  to  tell  which  gave  greater  hopes  of  victory.  When  they 
had  presented  themselves  against  each  other  with  their  lances 
aloft,  they  put  spurs  to  their  horses,  and  began  a  fierce  en- 
counter. But  Arthur,  who  handled  his  lance  more  warily, 
struck  it  into  the  upper  part  of  Flollo's  breast,  and  avoiding 
his  enemy's  weapon,  laid  him  prostrate  upon  the  ground,  and 
was  just  going  to  despatch  him  with  his  drawn  sword,  when 
Flollo,  starting  up  on  a  sudden,  met  him  with  his  lance 
couched,  wherewith  he  mortally  stabbed  the  breast  of  Arthur's 
horse,  and  caused  both  him  and  his  rider  to  fall.  The 
Britons,  when  they  saw  their  king  lying  on  the  ground, 
fearing  he  was  killed,  could  hardly  be  restrained  from  breach 
of  covenant,  and  falling  with  one  consent  upon  the  Gaolfc 


A.D.9Q5.]  ABTHTJB  BESIEGES  PAHIfl.  241 

But  just  as  they  were  upon  rushing  into  the  lists,  Arthur 
hastily  got  up,  and  guarding  himself  with  his  shield,  advanced 
with  speed  against  Flollo.  And  now  they  renewed  the 
assault  with  great  rage,  eagerly  bent  upon  one  another's 
destruction.  At  length  Flollo,  watching  his  advantage,  gave 
Arthur  a  blow  upon  the  forehead,  which  might  have  proved 
mortal,  had  he  not  blunted  the  edge  of  his  weapon  against 
the  helmet  When  Arthur  saw  his  coat  of  mail  and  shield 
red  with  blood,  he  was  inflamed  with  still  greater  rage,  and 
lifting  up  his  CaHburn  with  his  utmost  strength  struck  it 
through  the  helmet  into  Flollo's  head,  and  made  a  terrible 
gash.  With  this  wound  Flollo  fell  down,  tearing  the  ground 
with  his  spurs,  and  expired.  As  soon  as  this  news  was 
spread  through  the  army,  the  citizens  ran  together,  and  open- 
ing the  gates,  surrendered  the  city  to  Arthur.  After  the 
victory,  he  divided  his  army  into  two  parts  $  one  of  which  he 
committed  to  the  conduct  of  Hoel,  whom  he  ordered  to  march 
against  Guitard,  commander  of  the  Pictavians ;  while  he 
with  the  other  part  should  endeavour  to  reduce  the  other 
provinces.  Hoel  upon  this  entered  Aquitaine,  possessed 
himself  of  the  cities  of  that  country,  and  after  distressing 
Guitard  in  several  battles,  forced  him  to  surrender.  He 
also  destroyed  Gascony  with  fire  and  sword,  and  subdued 
the  princes  of  it.  At  the  end  of  nine  years,  in  which  time 
all  the  parts  of  Gaul  were  entirely  reduced,  Arthur  returned 
back  to  Paris,  where  he  kept  his  court,  and  calling  an  assembly 
of  the  clergy  and  people,  established  peace  and  the  just 
administration  of  the  laws  in  that  kingdom.  Then  he  be- 
stowed Neustria,  now  called  Normandy,  upon  Bedver,  his 
butler ;  the  province  of  Andegavia  upon  Caius,  his  sewer ; 
and  several  other  provinces  upon  his  great  men  that  attended 
him.  Thus  having  settled  the  peace  of  the  cities  and 
countries  there,  he  returned  back  in  the  beginning  of  spring 
to  Britain.* 


*  It  is  wonderful  that  the  contents  of  tMs  nook  should  ever  hare  passed 
for  authentic  history;  our  ancestors  of  the  Seventh,  twelfth,  and  thirteenth 
centuries  must  have  been  singularly  ignorant  of  every  thing  concerning  the 
latter  ages  of  the  Roman  empire,  and  the  formation  of  the  modern  king- 
doms of  France  and  Germany,  &c,  if  they  could  believe  that  king  Arthur 
ever  held  his  court  in  Paris. 

B 


242  Geoffrey's  British  history.      [book  «.  ch.  12. 


Chap.  XII. — Arthur  summons  a  great  many  kings,  princes,  archbishops, 
S[c.  to  a  solemn  assembly  at  the  City  of  Legions. 

Upon  the  approach  of  the  feast  of  Pentecost,  Arthur,  the 
better  to  demonstrate  his  joy  after  such  triumphant  success, 
and  for  the  more  solemn  observation  of  that  festival,  and 
reconciling  the  minds  of  the  princes  that  were  now  subject 
to  him,  resolved,  during  that  season,  to  hold  a  magnificent 
court,  to  place  the  crown  upon  his  head,  and  to  invite  all  the 
kings  and  dukes  under  his  subjection,  to  the  solemnity.  And 
when  he  had  communicated  his  design  to  his  familiar  friends, 
he  pitched  upon  the  City  of  Legions  as  a  proper  place  for  his 
purpose.  For  besides  its  great  wealth  above  the  other  cities, 
its  situation,  which  was  in  Glamorganshire  upon  the  river 
Uske,  near  the  Severn  sea,  was  most  pleasant,  and  fit  for  so 
great  a  solemnity.  For  on  one  side  it  was  washed  by  that 
noble  river,  so  that  the  kings  and  princes  from  the  countries 
beyond  the  seas  might  have  the  convenience  of  sailing  up  to 
it.  On  the  other  side,  the  beauty  of  the  meadows  and  groves, 
and  magnificence  of  the  royal  palaces  with  lofty  gilded  roofs 
that  adorned  it,  made  it  even  rival  the  grandeur  of  Borne. 
It  was  also  famous  for  two  churches  ;  whereof  one  was  built 
in  honour  of  the  martyr  Julius,  and  adorned  with  a  choir 
of  virgins,  who  had  devoted  themselves  wholly  to  the  service 
of  God  ;  but  the  other,  which  was  founded  in  memory  of  St. 
Aaron,  his  companion,  and  maintained  a  convent  of  canons, 
was  the  third  metropolitan  church  of  Britain.  Besides,  there 
was  a  college  of  two  hundred  philosophers,  who,  being 
learned  in  astronomy  and  the  other  arts,  were  diligent  in 
observing  the  courses  of  the  stars,  and  gave  Arthur  true 
predictions  of  the  events  that  would  happen  at  that  time. 
In  this  place,  therefore,  which  afforded  such  delights,  were 
preparations  made  for  the  ensuing  festival.  Ambassadors 
were  then  sent  into  several  kingdoms,  to  invite  to  court  the 
princes  both  of  Gaul  and  all  the  adjacent  islands.  Ac- 
cordingly there  came  Augusel,  king  of  Albania,  now 
Scotland ;  Urian,  king  of  Mureif ;  Cadwallo  Lewirh,  king 
of  the  Venedotians,  now  called  the  North  Wales  men; 
Sater,  king  of  the  Demetians,  or  South  Wales  men ;  Cador, 
king  of  Cornwall ;  also  the  archbishops  of  the  three  metro- 
politan sees,  London,  York,  and  Dubricius  of  the  City  of 


ad. 508]  Arthur's  tributary  kings.  243 

Legions.  This  prelate,  who  was  primate  of  Britain,  and 
legate  of  the  apostolical  see,  was  so  eminent  for  his  piety, 
that  he  could  cure  any  sick  person  by  his  prayers.  There 
came  also  the  consuls  of  the  principal  cities,  viz.  Morvid, 
consul  of  Gloucester ;  Mauron,  of  Worcester ;  Anaraut,  of 
Salisbury ;  Arthgal,  of  Cargueit  or  Warguit ;  Jugein, 
of  Legecester ;  Cursalen,  of  Kaicester ;  Kinmare,  duke 
of  Dorobernia  ;  Galluc,  of  Salisbury  ;  Urgennius,  of  Bath  ; 
Jonathal,  of  Dorchester ;  Boso,  of  Ridoc,  that  is,  Oxford. 
Besides  the  consuls,  came  the  following  worthies  of  no  less 
dignity :  Danaut,  Map  papo ;  Cheneus,  Map  coil ;  Peredur, 
Mab  eridur ;  Guiful,  Map  Nogoit ;  Regin,  Map  claut ; 
Eddelein,  Map  cledauc ;  Kincar,  Mab  bagan ;  Kimmare ; 
Gorboroniam,  Map  goit ;  Clofaut,  Rupmaneton  ;  Kimbelim, 
Map  trunat ;  Cathleus,  Map  catel ;  Kinlich,  Map  neton  ;  and 
many  others  too  tedious  to  enumerate.  From  the  adjacent 
islands  came  Guillamurius,  king  of  Ireland  ;  Malvasius,  king 
of  Iceland ;  Doldavius,  king  of  Gothland ;  Gunfasius,  king 
of  the  Orkneys  ;  Lot,  king  of  Norway ;  Aschillius,  king  of 
the  Dacians.  From  the  parts  beyond  the  seas,  came  Holdin, 
king  of  Ruteni ;  Leodegarius,  consul  of  Bolonia ;  Bedver, 
the  butler,  duke  of  Normandy ;  Borellus,  of  Cenomania ; 
Caius,  the  sewer,  duke  of  Andegavia  ;  Guitard,  of  Pictavia  ; 
also  the  twelve  peers  of  Gaul,  whom  Guerinus  Carnotensis 
brought  along  with  him :  Hoel,  duke  of  the  Armorican 
Britons,  and  his  nobility,  who  came  with  such  a  train  of 
mules,  horses,  and  rich  furniture,  as  it  is  difficult  to  describe. 
Besides  these,  there  remained  no  prince  of  any  consideration 
on  this  side  of  Spain,  who  came  not  upon  this  invitation. 
And  no  wonder,  when  Arthur's  munificence,  which  was 
celebrated  over  the  whole  world,  made  him  beloved  by  all 
people. 


Chap.  XIII. — A   description  of  the  royal  pomp  at  the  coronation  of 
Arthur. 

When  all  were  assembled  together  in  the  city,  upon  the  day 
of  the  solemnity,  the  archbishops  were  conducted  to  the 
palace,  in  order  to  place  the  crown  upon  the  king's  head. 
Therefore  Dubricius,  inasmuch  as  the  court  was  kept  in  his 
diocese,  made  himself  ready  to  celebrate  the  office,   and 

R  2 


244  Geoffrey's  British  history.       [book  «.  ch.  is. 

undertook  the  ordering  of  whatever  related  to  it  As  soon 
as  the  king  was  invested  with  his  royal  habiliments,  he  was 
conducted  in  great  pomp  to  the  metropolitan  church,  sup- 
ported on  each  side  by  two  archbishops,  and  having  four 
kings,  viz.  of  Albania,  Cornwall,  Demetia,  and  Venedotia, 
whose  right  it  was,  bearing  four  golden  swords  before  him. 
He  was  also  attended  with  a  concert  of  all  sorts  of  music, 
which  made  most  excellent  harmony.  On  another  part  was 
the  queen,  dressed  out  in  her  richest  ornaments,  conducted 
by  the  archbishops  and  bishops  to  the  Temple  of  Virgins  ; 

J.     the  four  queens  also  of  the  kings  last  mentioned,  bearing 
!u   ^  before  ner  f°ur  white  doves  according  to  ancient  custom  ; 
4if       «jand  after  her  there  followed  a  retinue  of  women,  making  all 
■  M  j-,1  ^  imaginable  demonstrations  of  joy.  When  the  whole  procession 
f    '"'  ''      was  ended,  so  transporting  was  the  harmony  of  the  musical 
aa^V    instruments  and  voices,  whereof  there  was  a  vast  variety  in 
1>'Z  *    both  churches,  that  the  knights  who  attended  were  in  doubt 
vv*  which  to  prefer,  and  therefore  crowded  from  the  one  to  the 

other  by  turns,  and  were  far  from  being  tired  with  the 
solemnity,  though  the  whole  day  had  been  spent  in  it  At 
last,  when  divine  service  was  over  at  both  churches,  the  king 
and  queen  put  off  their  crowns,  and  putting  on  their  lighter 
ornaments,  went  to  the  banquet ;  he  to  one  palace  with  the 
men,  and  she  to  another  with  the  women.  For  the  Britons 
still  observed  the  ancient  custom  of  Troy,  by  which  the  men 
and  women  used  to  celebrate  their  festivals  apart. »  When 
they  had  all  taken  their  seats  according  to  precedence,  Cains 
the  sewer,  in  rich  robes  of  ermine,  with  a  thousand  young 
noblemen,  all  in  like  manner  clothed  with  ermine,  served  up 
the  dishes.  From  another  part,  Bedver  the  butler  was 
followed  with  the  same  number  oF  attendants,  in  various 
habits,  who  waited  with  all  kinds  of  cups  and  drinking 
vessels.  In  the  queen's  palace  were  innumerable  waiters, 
dressed  with  variety  of  ornaments,  all  performing  their 
respective  offices ;  which  if  I  should  describe  particularly, 
I  should  draw  out  the  history  to  a  tedious  length.  For  at 
that  time  Britain  had  arrived  at  such  a  pitch  of  grandeur, 
that  in  abundance  of  riches,  luxury  of  ornaments,  and  polite- 
ness of  inhabitants,  it  far  surpassed  all  other  kingdoms.  The 
knights  in  it  that  were  famous  for  feats  of  chivalry,  wore 
their  clothes  and  arms  all  of  the  same  colour  and  nshkn : 


a.d.519.]  FESTIVITIES  AT  ARTHUR'S  CORONATION.  245 

and  the  women  also  no  less  celebrated  for  their  wit,  wore  all 
the  same  kind  of  apparel ;  and  esteemed  none  worthy  of  their    ^  i* 
love,  but  such  a?  had  given  a  proof  ot  their  valour  in  three    ^ft* 
several   battles.      Thus   was    the  valour  ot    the    men   an 
encouragement  for  the  women's  chastity,  and  the  love  of  the 
women  a  spur  to  the  soldier's  bravery. 


Chap.  XIV. — After  a  variety  of  sport*  at  the  coronation,  Arthur  amply 

rewards  his  servants.  ^^o^-L^ 

As  soon  as  the  banquets  were  over,  they  went  into  the  fields*^ 
without  the  city,  to  divert  themselves  with  various  sports. 
The  military  men  composed  a  kind  of  diversion  in  imitation 
of  a  fight  on  horseback ;  and  the  ladies,  placed  on  the  top 
of  the  walls  as  spectators,  in  a  sportive  manner  darted  their 
amorous  glances  at  the  courtiers,  the  more  to  encourage 
them.  Others  spent  the  remainder  of  the  day  in  other 
diversions,  such  as  shooting  with  bows  and  arrows,  tossing 
the  pike,  casting  of  heavy  stones  and  rocks,  playing  at  dice 
and  the  like,  and  all  these  inoffensively  and  without  quarrel- 
ling. Whoever  gained  the  victory  in  any  of  these  sports, 
was  rewarded  with  a  rich  prize  by  Arthur.  In  this  manner 
were  the  first  three  days  spent ;  and  on  the  fourth,  all  who, 
upon  account  of  their  titles,  bore  any  kind  of  office  at  this 
solemnity,  were  called  together  to  receive  honours  and 
preferments  in  reward  of  their  services,  and  to  fill  up 
the  vacancies  in  the  governments  of  cities  and  castles, 
archbishoprics,  bishoprics,  abbeys,  and  other  posts  of 
honour. 

Chap.  XV. — A  letter  from  Lucius  Tiberius,  general  of  the  Romans,  to 
Arthur  being  read,  they  consult  about  an  answer  to  it. 

But  St.  Dubricius,  from  a  pious  desire  of  leading  a  hermit's 
life,  made  a  voluntary  resignation  of  his  archiepiscopal 
dignity  ;  and  in  his  room  was  consecrated  David,  the  king's 
uncle,  whose  life  was  a  perfect  example  of  that  goodness 
which  by  his  doctrine  he  taught.  In  place  of  St.  Samson, 
archbishop  of  Dole,  was  appointed,  with  the  consent  of  Hoel, 
king  of  the  Armorican  Britons,  Chelianus,  [Kilian]  a  priest 
of  Llandaff,  a  person  highly  recommended  for  his  good  life 
and  character.     The  bishopric  of  Silchester  was  conferred 


* 


246  Geoffrey's  British  history.       iwx«  «.  ck.  u 

upon  Mauganius,  that  of  Winchester  upon  Diwanius,  and 
that  of  Alclud  upon  Eledanius.  While  he  was  disposing 
of  these  preferments  upon  them,  it  happened  that  twelve 
men  of  an  advanced  age,  and  venerable  aspect,  and  bearing 
olive  branches  in  their  right  hands,  for  a  token  that  they 
were  come  upon  an  embassy,  appeared  before  the  king, 
moving  towards  him  with  a  slow  pace,  and  speaking  with 
a  soft  voice ;  and  after  their  compliments  paid,  presented 
him  with  a  letter  from  Lucius  Tiberius,  in  these  words  : — 

"Lucius,  procurator  of  the  commonwealth,  to  Arthur, 
king  of  Britain,  according  to  his  desert.  The  insolence 
of  your  tyranny  is  what  fills  me  with  the  highest  admiration, 
and  the  injuries  you  have  done  to  Borne  still  increase  my 
wonder.  But  it  is  provoking  to  reflect,  that  you  are  grown 
so  much  above  yourself,  as  wilfully  to  avoid  seeing  this  :  nor 
do  you  consider  what  it  is  to  have  offended  by  unjust  deeds 
a  senate,  to  whom  you  cannot  be  ignorant  the  whole  world 
owes  vassalage.  For  the  tribute  of  Britain,  which  the  senate 
had  enjoined  you  to  pay,  and  which  used  to  be  paid  to  the 
Roman  emperors  successively  from  the  time  of  Julius  Caesar, 
you  have  had  the  presumption  to  withhold,  in  contempt  of 
their  imperial  authority.  You  have  seized  upon  the  province 
of  the  Allobroges,  and  all  the  islands  of  the  ocean,  whose 
kings,  while  the  Roman  power  prevailed  in  those  parts,  paid 
tribute  to  our  ancestors.  And  because  the  senate  have 
decreed  to  demand  justice  of  you  for  such  repeated  injuries, 
I  command  you  to  appear  at  Rome  before  the  middle  of 
August  the  next  year,  there  to  make  satisfaction  to  your 
masters,  and  undergo  such  sentence  as  they  shall  in  justice 
pass  upon  you.  Which  if  you  refuse  to  do,  I  shall  come  to 
you,  and  endeavour  to  recover  with  my  sword,  what  you  in 
your  madness  have  robbed  us  of." 

As  soon  as  the  letter  was  read  in  the  presence  of  the  kings 
and  consuls,  Arthur  withdrew  with  them  into  the  Giants 
Tower,  which  was  at  the  entrance  of  the  palace,  to  think 
what  answer  was  fit  to  be  returned  to  such  an  insolent  mes- 
sage. As  they  were  going  up  the  stairs,  Cador,  duke  of 
Cornwall,  who  was  a  man  of  a  merry  disposition,  said  to  the 
king  in  a  jocose  manner :  "  I  have  been  till  now  under  fear, 
lest  the  easy  life  which  the  Britons  lead,  by  enjoying  a  long 
peace,  might  make  them  cowards,  and  extinguish  the  fame  of 


a.  a.  520-530.]       ARTHUR'S  ROYAL  COUNCIL.  247 

their  gallantry,  by  which  they  have  raised  their  name  above 
all  other  nations.  For  where  the  exercise  of  arms  is  want- 
ing, and  the  pleasures  of  women,  dice,  and  other  diversions 
take  place,  no  doubt,  what  remains  of  virtue,  honour,  courage, 
and  thirst  of  praise,  will  be  tainted  with  the  rust  of  idleness. 
For  now  almost  five  years  have  passed,  since  we  have  been 
abandoned  to  these  delights,  and  have  had  no  exercise  of  war. 
Therefore,  to  deliver  us  from  sloth,  God  has  stirred  up  this 
spirit  of  the  Komans,  to  restore  our  military  virtues  to  their 
ancient  state."  In  this  manner  did  he  entertain  them  with 
discourse,  till  they  were  come  to  their  seats,  on  which 
when  they  were  all  placed,  Arthur  spoke  to  them  after  this 
manner. 


Chap.  XVI. — Arthur,  holding  a  council  with  the  kings,  desires  every  one 
of  them  to  deliver  their  opinions. 

"  My  companions  both  in  good  and  bad  fortune,  whose  abili- 
ties both  in  counsel  and  war  I  have  hitherto  experienced ; 
the  present  exigence  of  affairs,  after  the  message  which  we 
have  received,  requires  your  careful  deliberation  and  prudent 
resolutions ;  for  whatever  is  wisely  concerted,  is  easily  exe- 
cuted. Therefore  we  shall  be  the  better  able  to  bear  the 
annoyance  which  Lucius  threatens  to  give  us,  if  we  unani- 
mously apply  ourselves  to  consider  how  to  overcome  it.  In 
my  opinion  we  have  no  great  reason  to  fear  him,  when  we 
reflect  upon  the  unjust  pretence  on  which  he  demands 
tribute  of  us.  He  says  he  has  a  right  to  it,  because  it  was 
paid  to  Julius  Caesar,  and  his  successors,  who  invaded 
Britain  with  an  army  at  the  invitation  of  the  ancient  Britons, 
when  they  were  quarrelling  among  themselves,  and  by  force 
reduced  the  country  under  their  power,  when  weakened  by 
civil  dissension.  And  because  they  gained  it  in  this  manner, 
they  had  the  injustice  to  take  tribute  of  it.  For  that  can 
never  be  possessed  justly,  which  is  gained  by  force  and 
violence.  So  that  he  has  no  reasonable  grounds  to  pretend 
we  are  of  right  his  tributaries.  But  since  he  has  the  pre- 
sumption to  make  an  unjust  demand  of  us,  we  have  certainly 
as  good  reason  to  demand  of  him  tribute  from  Rome ;  let 
the  longer  sword  therefore  determine  the  right  between  us. 
For  if  Rome  has  decreed  that  tribute  ought  to  be  paid  to  it 


248  Geoffrey's  British  histobt.         [book  k.  cm.  17. 

from  Britain,  on  account  of  its  having  been  formerly  under 
the  yoke  of  Julius  Caesar,  and  other  Roman  emperors ;  I  for 
the  same  reason  now  decree,  that  Rome  ought  to  pay  tribute 
to  me,  because  my  predecessors  formerly  held  the  govern- 
ment of  it.  For  Belinus,  that  glorious  king  of  the  Britons, 
with  the  assistance  of  his  brother  Brennus,  duke  of  the 
Allobroges,  after  they  had  hanged  up  twenty  noble  Romans 
in  the  middle  of  the  market-place,  took  their  city,  and  kept 
possession  of  it  a  long  time,  Likewise  Constantine,  the  son 
of  Helena,  and  Maximian  [Maximus],  who  were  both  my 
kinsmen,  and  both  wore  the  crown  of  Britain,  gained  the  im- 
perial throne  of  Rome.  Do  not  you,  therefore,  think  that  we 
ought  to  demand  tribute  of  the  Romans  ?  As  for  Gaul  and 
the  adjacent  islands  of  the  ocean,  we  have  no  occasion  to 
return  them  any  answer,  since  they  did  not  defend  them, 
when  we  attempted  to  free  them  from  their  power."  As 
soon  as  he  had  done  speaking  to  this  effect,  Hoel,  king  of 
the  Armorican  Britons,  who  had  the  precedence  of  the  rest, 
made  answer  in  these  words. 

Chap.  XVII. — The  opinion  of  Hoel,  king  of  Armorioa,  oonoming  a 
war  with  the  Romans, 

"  After  the  most  profound  deliberation  that  any  of  us  shall 
be  able  to  make,  I  think  better  advice  cannot  be  given,  than 
what  your  majesty  in  your  great  wisdom  and  policy  now  offers. 
Your  speech,  which  is  no  less  wise  than  eloquent,  has  super- 
seded all  consultation  on  our  part ;  and  nothing  remains  for  us 
to  do,  but  to  admire  and  gratefully  acknowledge  your  majesty's 
firmness  of  mind,  and  depth  of  policy,  to  which  we  owe  such 
excellent  advice.  For  if  upon  this  motive  you  are  pleased  to 
make  an  expedition  to  Rome,  I  doubt  not  but  it  will  be  crowned 
with  glorious  success ;  since  it  will  be  undertaken  for  the  de- 
fence of  our  liberties,  and  to  demand  justly  of  our  enemies, 
what  they  have  unjustly  demanded  of  us.  For  that  person  who 
would  rob  another,  deserves  to  lose  his  own  by  him  against 
whom  the  attempt  is  made.  And,  therefore,  since  the  Romans 
threatened  us  with  this  injury,  it  will  undoubtedly  turn  to 
their  own  loss,  if  we  can  have  but  an  opportunity  of  engag- 
ing with  them.  This  is  what  the  Britons  universally  desire ; 
this  is  what  we  have  promised  us  in  the  Sibylline  prophecies, 
which  expressly  declare,  that  the  Roman  empire  shall  be 


▲.d.  £20- £30.]  THE  SPEECH  OF  AUGUSEL.  249 

obtained  by  three  persons,  natives  of  Britain.  The  oracle 
is  fulfilled  in  two  of  them,  since  it  is  manifest  (as  your 
majesty  observed)  that  those  two  celebrated  princes,  Belinus 
and  Constantine,  governed  the  Roman  empire :  and  now  you 
are  the  third  to  whom  this  supreme  dignity  is  promised. 
Make  haste,  therefore,  to  receive  what  God  makes  no  delay 
to  give  you ;  to  subdue  those  who  are  ready  to  receive  your 
yoke ;  and  to  advance  us  all,  who  for  your  advancement  will 
spare  neither  limbs  nor  life.  And  that  you  may  accomplish  this, 
I  myself  will  attend  you  in  person  with  ten  thousand  men." 

Chap.  XVIII. — The  opinion  of  Augusel. 

When  Hoel  concluded  his  speech,  Augusel,  king  of  Albania, 
declared  his  good  affection  to  the  cause  after  this  manner. 
"lam  not  able  to  express  the  joy  that  has  transported  me, 
since  my  lord  has  declared  to  us  his  designs.  For  we  seem 
to  have  done  nothing  by  all  our  past  wars  with  so  many  and 
potent  princes,  if  the  Romans  and  Germans  be  suffered  to 
enjoy  peace,  and  we  do  not  severely  revenge  on  them  the 
grievous  oppressions  which  they  formerly  brought  upon  this 
country.  But  now,  since  we  are  at  liberty  to  encounter 
them,  I  am  overwhelmed  with  joy  and  eagerness  of  desire, 
to  see  a  battle  with  them,  when  the  blood  of  those  cruel 
oppressors  will  be  no  less  acceptable  to  me  than  a  spring  of 
water  is  to  one  who  is  parched  with  thirst.  If  I  shall  but 
live  to  see  that  day,  how  sweet  will  be  the  wounds  which 
I  shall  then  either  receive  or  give  ?  Nay,  how  sweet  will 
be  even  death  itself,  when  suffered  in  revenging  the  injuries 
done  to  our  ancestors,  in  defending  our  liberties,  and  in  pro- 
moting the  glory  of  our  king!  Let  us  then  begin  with 
these  poltroons,  and  spoil  them  of  all  their  trophies,  by 
making  an  entire  conquest  of  them.  And  I  for  my  share 
will  add  to  the  army  two  thousand  horse,  besides  foot.,, 

Chap.  XIX. — They  unanimously  agree  upon  a  war  with  the  Romans. 

To  the  same  effect  spoke  all  the  rest,  and  promised  each  of 
them  their  full  quota  of  forces ;  so  that  besides  those  pro- 
mised by  the  duke  of  Armorica,  the  number  of  men  from 
the  island  of  Britain  alone  was  sixty  thousand,  all  com- 
pletely armed.     But  the  kings  of  the  other  islands,  as  they 


250  Geoffrey's  British  history.        [bootxc«.l 

had  not  been  accustomed  to  any  cavalry,  promised  their 
quota  of  infantry  ;  and,  from  the  six  provincial  islands,  viz. 
Ireland,  Iceland,  Gothland,  thet  Orkneys,  Norway,  and 
Dacia,  were  reckoned  a  hundred  and  twenty  thousand.  From 
the  duchies  of  Gaul,  that  is,  of  the  Ruteni,  the  Portunians, 
the  Estrusians,  the  Cenomanni,  the  Andegavians,  and  Picta- 
vians,  were  eighty  thousand.  From  the  twelve  consulships 
of  those  who  came  along  with  Guerinus  Carnotensis,  twelve 
hundred.  All  together  made  up  a  hundred  and  eighty-three 
thousand  two  hundred,  besides  foot  which  did  not  easily  fall 
under  number. 

Chap.  XX. — Arthur  prepares  for  a  war,  and  refuses  to  pay  tribute  to 
the  Romans, 

King  Arthur,  seeing  all  unanimously  ready  for  his  service, 
ordered  them  to  return  back  to  their  countries  with  speed, 
and  get  ready  the  forces  which  they  had  promised,  and  to 
hasten  to  the  general  rendezvous  upon  the  kalends  of 
August,  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Barba,  that  from  thence 
they  might  advance  with  them  to  the  borders  of  the  Allo- 
broges,  to  meet  the  Romans.  Then  he  sent  word  to  the 
emperors  by  their  ambassadors;  that  as  to  paying  them 
tribute,  he  would  in  no  wise  obey  their  commands ;  and  that 
the  journey  he  was  about  to  make  to  Rome,  was  not  to  stand 
the  award  of  their  sentence,  but  to  demand  of  them  what 
they  had  judicially  decreed  to  demand  of  him.  With  this 
answer  the  ambassadors  departed ;  and  at  the  same  time 
also  departed  all  the  kings  and  noblemen,  to  perform  with 
all  expedition  the  orders  that  had  been  given  them. 


BOOK  X. 

Chap.  I. — Lucius  Tiberius  calls  together  the  eastern  kings  against  the 
Britons. 

Lucius  Tiberius,  on  receiving  this  answer,  by  order  of  the 
senate  published  a  decree,  for  the  eastern  kings  to  come  with 
their  forces,  and  assist  in  the  conquest  of  Britain.     In  obe* 


a.d.  520— 540.]  Arthur's  dream.  251 

dience  to  which  there  came  in  a  very  short  time,  Epistro- 
phius,  king  of  the  Grecians ;  Mustensar,  king  of  the  Afri- 
cans; Alifantinam,  king  of  Spain;  Hirtacius,  king  of  the 
Parthians;  Boccus,  of  the  Medes;  Sertorius,  of  Libya; 
Teucer,  king  of  Phrygia;  Serses,  king  of  the  Itureans; 
Pandrasus,  king  of  Egypt;  Micipsa,  king  of  Babylon; 
Polytetes,  duke  of  Bithynia;  Teucer,  duke  of  Phrygia; 
Evander,  of  Syria;  JEthion,  of  Boeotia;  Hippolytus,  of 
Crete,  with  the  generals  and  nobility  under  them.  Of  the 
senatorian  order  also  came,  Lucius  Catellus,  Marius  Lepidus, 
Caius  Metellus  Cotta,  Quintus  Milvius  Catulus,  Quintus  Ca- 
rutius,  and  as  many  others  as  made  up  the  number  of  forty 
thousand  one  hundred  and  sixty.* 

Chap.  II. — Arthur  commits  to  his  nephew  Modred  the  government  of 
Britain.    His  dream  at  Homo's  Port. 

After  the  necessary  dispositions  were  made,  upon  the  ka- 
lends of  August,  they  began  their  march  towards  Britain, 
which  when  Arthur  had  intelligence  of,  he  committed  the  , 
government  of  the  kingdom  to  his  nephew  Modred,  and  ^ 
queen  Guanhumara,  and  marched  with  his  army  to  Hamo's 
Port,  where  the  wind  stood  fair  for  him.  But  while  he,  sur- 
rounded with  all  his  numerous  fleet,  was  sailing  joyfully  with 
a  brisk  gale,  it  happened  that  about  midnight  he  fell  into  a 
very  sound  sleep,  and  in  a  dream  saw  a  bear  flying  in  the  *^~ 
air,  at  the  noise  of  which  all  the  shores  trembled;  also  a 
terrible  dragon  flying  from  the  west,  which  enlightened  the 
country  with  the  brightness  of  its  eyes.  When  these  two 
met,  they  began  a  dreadful  fight ;  but  the  dragon  with  its  fiery 
breath  burned  the  bear  which  often  assaulted  him,  and  threw 
him  down  scorched  to  the  ground.  Arthur  upon  this  awak- 
ing, related  his  dream  to  those  that  stood  about  him,  who 
took  upon  them  to  interpret  it,  and  told  him  that  the  dragon 
signified  himself,  but  the  bear,  some  giant  that  should  en- 
counter with  him;  and  that  the  fight  portended  the  duel 
that  would  be  between  them,  and  the  dragon's  victory  the 
same  that  would  happen  to  himself.     But  Arthur  conjec- 

*  It  is  almost  unnecessary  to  inform  the  reader  that  not  one  of  these 
kings  ever  existed ;  and  yet  this  caution  may  be  of  use,  so  prone  are  men 
to  indulge  the  bias  of  the  imagination  at  the  expense  of  historic  truth. 


252  GEOFFREY^  BRITISH  HISTORY.  [aooKx.cs.  3. 

tured  it  portended  something  else,  and  that  the  vision  was 
applicable  to  himself  and  the  emperor.  As  soon  as  the 
morning  after  this  night's  sail  appeared,  they  found  them- 
selves arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Barba.  And  there 
they  pitched  their  tents,  to  wait  the  arrival  of  the  kings  of 
the  islands  and.  the  generals  of  the  other  provinces. 

Chap.  III. — Arthur  kills  a  Spanish  giant  who  had  stolen  away  Helena, 
the  niece  of  Hoel. 

In  the  meantime  Arthur  had  news  brought  him,  that  a  giant 
of  monstrous  size  was  come  from  the  shores  of  Spain,  and 
had  forcibly  taken  away  Helena,  the  niece  of  duke  Hoel, 
from  her  guard,  and  fled  with  her  to  the  top  of  that  which 
is  now  called  Michael's  Mount  ;*  and  that  the  soldiers  of  the 
country  who  pursued  him  were  able  to  do  nothing  against 
him.  For  whether  they  attacked  him  by  sea  or  land,  he 
either  overturned  their  ships  with  vast  rocks,  or  killed  them 
with  several  sorts  of  darts,  besides  many  of  them  that  he 
took  and  devoured  half  alive.  The  next  night,  therefore,  at 
the  second  hour,  Arthur,  taking  along  with  him  Caius  the 
sewer,  and  Bedver  the  butler,  went  out  privately  from  the 
camp,  and  hastened  towards  the  mountain.  For  being  a  man 
of  undaunted  courage,  he  did  not  care  to  lead  his  army 
against  such  monsters  ;  both  because  he  could  in  this  manner 
animate  his  men  by  his  own  example,  and  also  because  he 
was  alone  sufficient  to  deal  with  them.  As  soon  as  they 
came  near  the  mountain,  they  saw  a  fire  burning  upon  the  top 
of  it,  and  another  on  a  lesser  mountain,  that  was  not  far 
from  it.  And  being  in  doubt  upon  which  of  them  the  giant 
dwelt,  they  sent  away  Bedver  to  know  the  certainty  of  the 
matter.  So  he,  finding  a  boat,  sailed  over  in  it  first  to  the 
lesser  mountain,  to  which  he  could  in  no  other  way  have 
access,  because  it  was  situated  in  the  sea.  When  he  had 
begun  to  climb  up  to  the  top  of  it,  he  was  at  first  frightened 
with  a  dismal  howling  cry  of  a  woman  from  above,  and 
imagined  the  monster  to  be  there :  but  quickly  rousing  up 
his  courage,  he  drew  his  sword,  and  having  reached  the  top, 

*  This  most  romantic  and  interesting  rock  is  crowned  by  a  myilitrly 
quaint  structure,  half  monastic  and  half  castellated.  It  must  have  bee*  a 
place  of  great  strength  before  the  invention  of  powder,  and  contain  some 
curious  rooms,  a  dungeon  and  other  remains  of  feudality. 


a.d.5170        FIGHT   BETWEEN  ARTHUR  AND  A  GIANT.  253 

found  nothing  but  the  fire  which  he  had  before  seen  at  a  dis- 
tance. He  discovered  also  a  grave  newly  made,  and  an  old 
woman  weeping  and  howling  by  it,  who  at  the  sight  of  him 
instantly  cried  out  in  words  interrupted  with  sighs,  "  O,  un- 
happy man,  what  misfortune  brings  you  to  this  place  ?  O  the 
inexpressible  tortures  of  death  that  you  must  suffer  !  I  pity 
you,  I  fity  you,  because  the  detestable  monster  will  this  night 
destroy  the  flower  of  your  youth.  For  that  most  wicked  and 
odious  giant,  who  brought  the  duke's  niece,  whom  I  have  just 
now  buried  here,  and  me,  her  nurse,  along  with  her  into  this 
mountain,  will  come  and  immediately  murder  you  in  a  most 
cruel  manner.  O  deplorable  fate  !  This  most  illustrious 
princess,  sinking  under  the  fear  her  tender  heart  conceived, 
while  the  foul  monster  Would  have  embraced  her,  fainted 
away  and  expired.  And  when  he  could  not  satiate  his 
brutish  lust  upon  her,  who  was  the  very  soul,  joy,  and  happi- 
ness of  my  life,  being  enraged  at  the  disappointment  of  his 
bestial  desire,  he  forcibly  committed  a  rape  upon  me,  who 
(let  God  and  my  old  age  witness)  abhorred  his  embraces. 
Fly,  dear  sir,  fly,  for  fear  he  may  come,  as  he  usually  does, 
to  lie  with  me,  and  finding  you  here  most  barbarously  butcher 
you."  Bedver,  moved  at  what  she  said,  as  much  as  it  is 
possible  for  human  nature  to  be,  endeavoured  with  kind 
words  to  assuage  her  grief,  and  to  comfort  her  with  the 
promise  of  speedy  help  :  and  then  returned  back  to  Arthur, 
and  gave  him  an  account  of  what  he  had  met  with.  Arthur 
very  much  lamented  the  damsel's  sad  fate,  and  ordered  his 
companions  to  leave  him  to  deal  with  him  alone  ;  unless  there 
was  an  absolute  necessity,  and  then  they  were  to  come  in 
boldly  to  his  assistance.  From  hence  they  went  directly  to 
the  next  mountain,  leaving  their  horses  with  their  armour- 
bearers,  and  ascended  to  the  top,  Arthur  leading  the  way. 
The  deformed  savage  was  then  by  the  fire,  with  his  face 
besmeared  with  the  clotted  blood  of  swine,  part  of  which  he 
already  devoured,  and  was  roasting  the  remainder  upon  spits 
by  the  fire.  But  at  the  sight  of  them,  whose  appearance 
was  a  surprise  to  him,  he  hastened  to  his  club,  which  two 
strong  men  could  hardly  lift  from  the  ground.  Upon  this 
the  king  drew  his  sword,  and  guarding  himself  with  his 
shield,  ran  with  all  his  speed  to  prevent  his  getting  it.  But 
the  other,  who  was  not  ignorant  of  his  design,  had  by  this 


254  Geoffrey's  British  history.       [book  x.  ch.  s. 

time  snatched  it  up,  and  gave  the  king  such  a  terrible  blow 
upon  his  shield,  that  he  made  the  shores  ring  with  the  noise, 
and  perfectly  stunned  the  king's  ears  with  it.  Arthur,  fired 
with  rage  at  this,  lifted  up  his  sword,  and  gave  him  a  wound 
in  the  forehead,  which  was  not  indeed  mortal,  but  yet  such 
as  made  the  blood  gush  out  over  his  face  and  eyes,  and  so 
blinded  him  ;  for  he  had  partly  warded  off  the  stroke  from 
his  forehead  with  his  club,  and  prevented  its  being  fatal. 
However,  his  loss  of  sight,  by  reason  of  the  blood  flowing 
over  his  eyes,  made  him  exert  himself  with  greater  fury,  and 
like  an  enraged  boar  against  a  hunting-spear,  so  did  he  rush 
in  against  Arthur's  sword,  and  grasping  him  about  the  waist, 
forced  him  down  upon  his  knees.  But  Arthur,  nothing 
daunted,  slipped  out  of  his  hands,  and  so  exerted  himself 
with  his  sword,  that  he  gave  the  giant  no  respite  till  he  had 
struck  it  up  to  the  very  back  through  his  skulL  At  this 
the  hideous  monster  raised  a  dreadful  roar,  and  like  an  oak 
torn  up  from  the  roots  by  the  winds,  so  did  he  make  the 
ground  resound  with  his  fall.  Arthur,  bursting  out  into  a 
fit  of  laughter  at  the  sight,  commanded  Bedver  to  cut  off  his 
head,  and  give  it  to  one  of  the  armour-bearers,  who  was  to 
carry  it  to  the  camp,  and  there  expose  it  to  public  view, 
but  with  orders  for  the  spectators  of  this  combat  to  keep 
silence.  He  told  them  he  had  found  none  of  so  great  strength, 
since  he  killed  the  giant  Ritho,  who  had  challenged  him  to 
fight,  upon  the  mountain  Aravius.  This  giant  had  made 
himself  furs  of  the  beards  of  kings  he  had  killed,  and  had 
sent  word  to  Arthur  carefully  to  cut  off  his  beard  and  send 
it  to  him  ;  and  then,  out  of  respect  to  his  pre-eminence  over 
other  kings,  his  beard  should  have  the  honour  of  the  principal 
place.  But  if  he  refused  to  do  it,  he  challenged  him  to  a 
duel,  with  this  offer,  that  the  conqueror  should  have  the  furs, 
and  also  the  beard  of  the  vanquished  for  a  trophy  of  his 
victory.  In  his  conflict,  therefore,  Arthur  proved  victorious, 
and  took  the  beard  and  spoils  of  the  giant :  and,  as  he  said 
before,  had  met  with  none  that  could  be  compared  to  him 
for  strength,  till  his  last  engagement.  After  this  victory, 
they  returned  at  the  second  watch  of  the  night  to  the  camp 
with  the  head ;  to  see  which  there  was  a  great  concourse  of 
people,  all  extolling  this  wonderful  exploit  of  Arthur,  by 
which  he  had  freed  the  country  from  a  most  destructive  and 


a.©.  520— 540.  WALGAN   SLAYS   QUINTILIANUS.  255 

voracious  monster.  But  Hoel,  in  great  grief  for  the  loss  of 
his  niece,  commanded  a  mausoleum  to  be  built  over  her  body 
in  the  mountain  where  she  was  buried,  which,  taking  the 
damsel's  name,  is  called  Helena's  Tomb  to  this  day. 

Chap.  IV. — Arthur's  ambassadors  to  Lucius  Tiberius  deliver  Petreius 
Cotta,  whom  they  took  prisoner^  to  Arthur, 

As  soon  as  all  the  forces  were  arrived  which  Arthur  expected, 
he  marched  from  thence  to  Augustodunum,  where  he  sup- 
posed the  general  was.  But  when  he  came  to  the  river 
Alba,  he  had  intelligence  brought  him  of  his  having  encamped 
not  far  off,  and  that  he  was  come  with  so  vast  an  army,  that 
he  would  not  be  able  to  withstand  it.  However,  this  did  not 
deter  him  from  pursuing  his  enterprise  ;  but  he  pitched  his 
camp  upon  the  bank  of  the  river,  to  facilitate  the  bringing 
up  of  his  forces,  and  to  secure  his  retreat,  if  there  should  be 
occasion  ;  and  sent  Boso  the  consul  of  Oxford,  and  Guerinus 
Carnotensis,  with  his  nephew  Walgan,  to  Lucius  Tiberius, 
requiring  him  either  to  retire  from  the  coasts  of  Gaul,  or 
come  the  next  day,  that  they  might  try  their  right  to  that 
country  with  their  swords.  The  retinue  of  young  courtiers 
that  attended  Walgan,  highly  rejoicing  at  this  opportunity, 
were  urgent  with  him  to  find  some  occasion  for  a  quarrel  in 
the  commander's  camp,  that  so  they  might  engage  the  Romans. 
Accordingly  they  went  to  Lucius,  and  commanded  him  to 
retire  out  of  Gaul,  or  hazard  a  battle  the  next  day.  But 
while  he  was  answering  them,  that  he  was  not  come  to  retire, 
but  to  govern  the  country,  there  was  present  Caius  Quintili- 
anus,  his  nephew,  who  said,  "  That  the  Britons  were  better 
at  boasting  and  threatening,  than  they  were  at  fighting." 
Walgan  immediately  took  fire  at  this,  and  ran  upon  him  with 
his  drawn  sword,  wherewith  he  cut  off  his  head,  and  then 
retreated  speedily  with  his  companions  to  their  horses.  The 
Romans,  both  horse  and  foot,  pursued  to  revenge  the  loss  of 
their  countryman  upon  the  ambassadors,  who  fled  with  great 
precipitation.  But  Guerinus  Carnotensis,  just  as  one  of 
them  was  come  up  to  him,  rallied  on  a  sudden,  and  with  his 
lance  struck  at  once  through  his  armour  and  the  very  middle 
of  his  body,  and  laid  him  prostrate  on  the  ground.  The 
sight  of  this  noble  exploit  raised  the  emulation  of  Boso  of 
Oxford,  who,  wheeling  about  his  horse,  struck  his  lance  into 


256  GEOFFRETS  BRITISH  HI8TORT.  [book  z.  cb.  4. 

the  throat  of  the  first  man  he  met  with,  and  dismounted  him 
mortally  wounded.  In  the  meantime,  Marcellus  Mutius, 
with  great  eagerness  to  revenge  Quintilian's  death,  was  just 
upon  the  back  of  Walgan,  and  laid  hold  of  him  ;  which  the 
other  quickly  obliged  him  to  quit,  by  cleaving  both  his 
helmet  and  head  to  the  breast  with  his  sword.  He  also  bade 
him,  when  he  arrived  at  the  infernal  regions,  tell  the  man  he 
had  killed  in  the  camp,  "  That  in  this  manner  the  Britons 
showed  their  boasting  and  threatening."  Then  having  re- 
assembled his  men,  he  encouraged  them  to  despatch  every 
one  his  pursuer  in  the  same  manner  as  he  had  done  ;  which 
accordingly  they  did  not  fail  to  accomplish.  Notwithstand- 
ing, the  Romans  continued  their  pursuit  with  lances  and 
swords,  wherewith  they  annoyed  the  others,  though  without 
slaughter  or  taking  any  prisoners.  But  as  they  came  near  a 
certain  wood,  a  party  of  six  thousand  Britons,  who  seeing 
the  flight  of  the  consuls,  had  hid  themselves,  to  be  in  readi- 
ness for  their  assistance,  sallied  forth,  and  putting  spurs  to 
their  horses,  rent  the  air  with  their  loud  shouts,  and  being 
well  fenced  with  their  shields,  assaulted  the  Romans  sud- 
denly, and  forced  them  to  fly.  And  now  it  was  the  Britons' 
turn  to  pursue,  which  they  did  with  better  success,  for  they 
dismounted,  killed,  or  took  several  of  the  enemy.  Petreius, 
the  senator,  upon  this  news,  hastened  to  the  assistance  of  his 
countrymen  with  ten  thousand  men,  and  compelled  the  Britons 
to  retreat  to  the  wood  from  whence  they  had  sallied  forth  ; 
though  not  without  loss  of  his  own  men.  For  the  Britons, 
being  well  acquainted  with  the  ground,  in  their  flight  killed 
a  great  number  of  their  pursuers.  The  Britons  thus  giving 
ground,  Hider,  with  another  reinforcement  of  five  thousand 
men,  advanced  with  speed  to  sustain  them ;  so  that  they 
again  faced  those,  upon  whom  they  had  turned  their  backs, 
and  renewed  the  assault  with  great  vigour.  The  Romans 
also  stood  their  ground,  and  continued  the  fight  with  various 
success.  The  great  fault  of  the  Britons  was,  that  though 
they  had  been  very  eager  to  begin  the  fight,  yet  when  began 
they  were  less  careful  of  the  hazard  they  ran.  Whereas  the 
Romans  were  under  better  discipline,  and  had  the  advantage 
of  a  prudent  commander,  Petreius  Cotta,  to  tell  them  where 
to  advance,  and  where  to  give  ground,  and  by  these  means 
did  great  injury  to  the  enemy.     When  Boso  observed  this, 


a.d.  520- 540.]        THE   ROMAN   GENERAL   PRISONER.  257 

he  drew  off  from  the  rest  a  large  party  of  those  whom  he 
knew  to  be  the  stoutest  men,  and  spoke  to  them  after  this 
manner  :  "  Since  we  have  begun  this  fight  without  Arthur's 
knowledge,  we  must  take  care  that  we  be  not  defeated  in 
the  enterprise.  For,  if  we  should,  we  shall  both  very  much 
endanger  our  men,  and  incur  the  king's  high  displeasure. 
Rouse  up  your  courage,  and  follow  me  through  the  Roman 
squadrons,  that  with  the  favour  of  good  fortune  we  may 
either  kill  or  take  Petreius  prisoner."  With  this  they  put 
spurs  to  their  horses,  and  piercing  through  the  enemies' 
thickest  ranks,  reached  the  place  where  Petreius  was  giving 
his  commands.  Boso  hastily  ran  in  upon  him,  and  grasping 
him  about  the  neck,  fell  with  him  to  the  ground,  as  he  had 
intended.  The  Romans  hereupon  ran  to  his  delivery,  as  did 
the  Britons  to  Boso's  assistance  ;  which  occasioned  on  both 
sides  great  slaughter,  noise,  and  confusion,  while  one  party 
strove  to  rescue  their  leader,  and  the  other  to  keep  him 
prisoner.  So  that  this  proved  the  sharpest  part  of  the  whole 
fight,  and  wherein  their  spears,  swords,  and  arrows  had  the. 
fullest  employment.  At  length,  the  Britons,  joining  in  a 
close  body,  and  sustaining  patiently  the  assaults  of  the 
Romans,  retired  to  the  main  body  of  their  army  with  Pe^ 
treius  :  which  they  had  no  sooner  done,  than  they  again 
attacked  them,  being  now  deprived  of  their  leader,  very  much 
weakened,  dispirited,  and  just  beginning  to  flee.  They, 
therefore,  eagerly  pursued,  beat  down,  and  killed  several  of 
them,  and  as  soon  as  they  had  plundered  them,  pursued  the 
rest :  but  they  took  the  greatest  number  of  them  prisoners, 
being  desirous  to  present  them  to  the  king.  When  they  had 
at  last  sufficiently  harassed  them,  they  returned  with  their 
plunder  and  prisoners  to  the  camp ;  where  they  gave  an 
account  of  what  had  happened,  and  presented  Petreius  Cotta 
with  the  other  prisoners  before  Arthur,  with  great  joy  for 
the  victory.  Arthur  congratulated  them  upon  it,  and  pro* 
mised  them  advancement  to  greater  honours,  for  behaving 
themselves  so  gallantly  when  he  was  absent  from  them. 
Then  he  gave  his  command  to  some  of  his  men,  to  conduct 
the  prisoners  the  next  day  to  Paris,  and  deliver  them  to  be 
kept  in  custody  there  till  further  orders.  The  party  that 
were  to  undertake  this  charge,  he  ordered  to  be  conducted 
by  Cador,  Bedver,  and  the  two  consuls,  Borellus  and  Rich- 
—  s 


258  Geoffrey's  British  history.         (book  x.  oh.  & 

erius,  with  their  servants,  till  they  should  be,  out  of  all  fear 
of  disturbance  from  the  Romans. 


Chap.  V. — The  Romans  attack  the  Britons  with  m  very  gnat  force,  bni 
are  put  to  flight  by  them. 

But  the  Romans,  happening  to  get  intelligence  of  their  de- 
sign, at  the  command  of  their  general  chose  out  fifteen  thou*. 
sand  men,  who  that  night  were  to  get  before  the  others  in 
their  march,  and  rescue  their  fellow  soldiers  out  of  their 
hands.  They  were  to  be  commanded  by  Vulteius  Catellus 
and  Quintus  Carutius,  senators,  as  also  Evander,  king  of 
Syria,  and  Sertorius,  king  of  Libya.  Accordingly  they 
began  their  march  that  very  night,  and  possessed  them* 
selves  of  a  place  convenient  for  lying  in  ambuscade,  through 
which  they  supposed  the  others  would  pass.  In  the 
morning  the  Britons  set  forward  along  the  same  road  with 
their  prisoners,  and  were  now  approaching  the  place  in  per* 
feet  ignorance  of  the  cunning  stratagem  of  the  enemy.  No. 
sooner  had  they  entered  it,  than  the  Romans,  to  their  great 
surprise,  sprang  forth  and  fell  furiously  upon  them.  Not- 
withstanding, the  Britons,  at  length  recovering  from  their 
consternation,  assembled  together,  and  prepared  for  a  bold 
opposition,  by  appointing  a  party  to  guard  the  prisoners,  and 
drawing  out  the  rest  in  order  of  battle  against  the  enemy. 
Richerius  and  Bedver  had  the  command  of  the  party  that 
were  set  over  the  prisoners ;  but  Cador,  duke  of  Cornwall, 
and  Borellus  headed  the  others.  But  all  the  Romans  had 
made  their  sally  without  being  placed  in  any  order,  and 
cared  not  to  form  themselves,  that  they  might  lose  no  time. 
in  the  slaughter  of  the  Britons,  whom  they  saw  busied  in 
marshalling  their  troops,  and  preparing  only  for  their 
defence.  By  this  conduct  the  Britons  were  extremely  weak- 
ened, and  would  have  shamefully  lost  their  prisoners,  had 
not  good  fortune  rendered  them  assistance.  For  Guitard, 
commander  of  the  Pictavians,  happened  to  get  information 
of  the  designed  stratagem,  and  was  come  up  with  three  thou- 
sand men,  by  the  help  of  which  they  at  last  got  the  advan- 
tage, and  paid  back  the  slaughter  upon  their  insolent  assail- 
ants. Nevertheless,  the  loss  which  they  sustained  at  the 
beginning  of  this  action  was  very  considerable.     For  they 


a.b.  M0-$4p.]  LUCIUS  TIBERIUS  ENTERS  LENGRU5.  259 

lost  Borellus,  the  famoua  consul  of  the  Cenomanni,  in  an 
encounter  with  Evander,  king  of  Syria,  who  stuck  his  lance 
into  his  throat ;  besides  four  noblemen,  viz.  Hirelgas  Depe- 
rirus,  Mauricius  Cadorcanensis,  Aliduc  of  Tintagel,  tind 
Hider  his  son,  than  whom  braver  men  were  hardly  to  be 
found.  But  yet  neither  did  this  loss  dispirit  the  Britpns,  but 
rather  made  them  more  resolute  to  keep  the  prisoners,  and  kill 
the  enemy.  The  Romans,  now  finding  themselves  unable  to 
maintain  the  fight  any  longer,  suddenly  quitted  the  field,  and 
made  towards  their  camp ;  but  were  pursued  with  slaughter 
by  the  Britons,  who  also  took  many  of  them,  and  allowed 
them  no  respite  till  they  had  killed  Vulteius  Catellus  and 
Evander,  king  of  Syria,  and  wholly  dispersed  the  rest- 
After  which  they  sent  away  their  former  prisoners  to  Paris, 
whither  they  were  to  conduct  them,  and  returned  back  with 
those  newly  taken  to  the  king ;  to  whom  they  gave  great 
hopes  of  a  complete  conquest  of  their  enemies,  since  very 
few  of  the  great  number  that  came  against  them  had  met 
with  any  success. 


Chap.  Yl.— Lucius  Tiberius  goes  to  Lengrice.     Arthur,  Resigning  to  van- 
quish him,  by  a  stratagem  possesses  bimsetfof  the  valley  o/Suesia. 

These  repeated  disasters  wrought  no  small  disturbance  in 
the  mind  of  Lucius  Tiberius,  and  made  him  hesitate  whether 
to  bring  it  to  a  general  battle  with  Arthur,  or  to  retire  into 
Augustodunum,  and  stay  till  the  emperor  Leo  with  his  forces 
could  come  to  his  assistance.  At  length,  giving  way  to  his  fears, 
he  entered  Lengriae  with  his  army,  intending  to  reach  the  other 
city  the  night  following.  Arthur,  finding  this,  and  being 
desirous  to  get  before  him  in  his  march,  left  the  city  on  the 
left  hand,  and  the  same  night  entered  a  certain  valley  called 
Suesia,  through  which  Lucius  was  to  pass.  There  he 
divided  his  men  into  several  bodies,  commanding  one  legion, 
over  which  Morvid,  consul  of  Gloucester,  was  appointed 
general,  to  wait  close  by,  that  he  might  retreat  to  them  if 
there  should  be  occasion,  and  from  thence  rally  his  broken 
forces  for  a  second  battle.  The  rest  he  divided  into  seven 
parts,  in  each  of  which  he  placed  five  thousand  five  hundred 
and  fifty-five  men,  all  completely  armed.  He  also  appointed 
different  stations  to  his  horse  and  foot,  and  gave  command 

s  2 


V 


260  Geoffrey's  British  history.        [**«*.<».  7. 

that  just  as  the  foot  should  advance  to  the  attack,  the  horse, 
keeping  close  together  in  their  ranks,  should  at  the  same 
moment  maroh  up  obliquely,  and  endeavour  to  put  the 
enemy  into  disorder.  The  companies  of  foot  were,  after  the 
British  manner,  drawn  out  into  a  square,  with  a  right  and 
left  wing,  under  the  command  of  Augusel,  king  of  Albania, 
and  Cador,  duke  of  Cornwall;  the  one  presiding  over  the 
right  wing,  the  other  over  the  left.  Over  another  party 
were  placed  the  two  famous  consuls,  Guerinus  of  Chartres 
and  Boso  of  Richiden,  called  in  the  Saxon  tongue  Oxineford ; 
F  over  a  third  were  Aschillius,  king  of  the  Dacians,  and  Lot, 
king  of  the  Norwegians ;  the  fourth  being  commanded  by 

^/T       _32oel,    duke    of    the     Armnriftana     and    ^{|1ffaj|,   thft   king*8 

nephew.  After  these  were  four  other  parties  placed  in  the 
rear ;  the  first  commanded  by  Caius  the  sewer,  and  Bedver 
the  butler ;  the  second  by  Holdin,  duke  of  the  Ruteni,  and 
Guitard  of  the  Pictavians ;  the  third  by  Vigenis  of  Lege- 
cester,  Jonathal  of  Dorchester,  and  Cursalem  of  Caicester; 
the  fourth  by  Urbgennius  of  Bath.  Behind  all  these, 
Arthur,  for  himself  and  the  legion  that  was  to  attend  near 
him,  made  choice  of  a  place,  where  he  set  up  a  golden 
dragon  for  a  standard,  whither  the  wounded  or  fatigued 
might  in  case  of  necessity  retreat,  as  into  their  camp.  The 
legion  that  was  with  him  consisted  of  six  thousand  six  hun- 
dred and  sixty-six  men. 

Chap.  VII. — Arthur's  exhortation  to  his  soldiers. 

After  he  had  thus  placed  them  all  in  their  stations,  he 
made  the  following  speech  to  his  soldiers: — "My  brave 
countrymen,  who  have  made  Britain  the  mistress  of  thirty 
kingdoms,  I  congratulate  you  upon  your  late  noble  exploit, 
which  to  me  is  a  proof  that  your  valour  is  so  far  from  being 
*  impaired,  that  it  is  rather  increased.     Though  you  have 

been  five  years  without  exercise,  wherein  the  softening 
pleasures  of  an  easy  life  had  a  greater  share  of  your  time 
than  the  use  of  arms ;  yet  all  this  has  not  made  you  degene- 
rate from  your  natural  bravery,  which  you  have  shown  in 
forcing  the  Romans  to  flee.  The  pride  of  their  leaden  has 
animated  them  to  attempt  the  invasion  of  your  liberties. 
They  have  tried  you  in  battle,  with  numbers  superior  to 


aj>.  520-540.]  SPEECH  OP  LUCIUS  TIBEBIU8.  261 

yours,  and  have  not  been  able  to  stand  before  you ;  but  have 
basely  withdrawn  themselves  into  that  city,  from  which  they 
are  now  ready  to  march  out,  and  to  pass  through  this  valley 
in  their  way  to  Augustodunum ;  so  that  you  may  have  an 
opportunity  of  falling  upon  them  unawares  like  a  flock  of 
sheep.  Certainly  they  expected  to  find  in  you  the  cowardice 
of  the  Eastern  nations,  when  they  thought  to  make  your 
country  tributary,  and  you  their  slaves.  What,  have  they 
never  heard  of  your  wars,  with  the  Dacians,  Norwegians, 
and  princes  of  the  Gauls,  whom  you  reduced  under  my 
power,  and  freed  from  their  shameful  yoke  ?  We,  then,  that 
have  had  success  in  a  greater  war,  need  not  doubt  of  it  in  a 
less,  if  we  do  but  endeavour  with  the  same  spirit  to  vanquish 
these  poltroons.  You  shall  want  no  rewards  of  honour, 
if  as  faithful  soldiers  you  do  but  strictly  obey  my  com- 
mands. For  as  soon  as  we  have  routed  them,  we  will 
march  straight  to  Rome,  and  take  it ;  and  then  all  the 
gold,  silver,  palaces,  towers,  towns,  cities,  and  other  riches 
of  the  vanquished  shall  be  yours."  He  had  hardly  done 
speaking  before  they  all  with  one  voice  declared,  that  they 
were  ready  to  suffer  death,  rather  than  quit  the  field  while 
he  had  life. 

Chap.  VIII. — Lucius  Tiberius,  discovering  Arthur's  design,  in  a  speech 
animates  his  followers  to  fight. 

But  Lucius  Tiberius,  discovering  the  designs  that  were 
formed  against  him,  would  not  flee,  as  he  had  at  first  in- 
tended, but  taking  new  courage,  resolved  to  march  to  the 
same  valley  against  them ;  and  calling  together  his  principal 
commanders,  spoke  to  them  in  these  words: — "Venerable 
fathers,  to  whose  empire  both  the  Eastern  and  Western 
kingdoms  owe  obedience,  remember  the  virtues  of  your 
ancestors,  who  were  not  afraid  to  shed  their  blood,  when  the 
vanquishing  of  the  enemies  of  the  commonwealth  required 
it ;  but  to  leave  an  example  of  their  courage  and  military 
virtues  to  their  posterity,  behaved  themselves  in  all  battles 
with  that  contempt  of  death,  as  if  God  had  given  them  some 
security  against  it.  By  this  conduct  they  often  triumphed, 
and  by  triumphing  escaped  death.  Such  was  the  reward  of 
their  virtue  from  Divine  Providence,  which  overrules  all 
events.     The  increase  of  the  commonwealth,  and  of  their 


262  Geoffrey's  British  history;  [mm*  &  <*.  8. 

own  valour  was  owing  to  this ;  and  all  those  virtues  that 
usually  adorn  the  great,  as  integrity,  honour,  and  munifi- 
cence, flourishing  a  long  time  in  them,  raised  them  and  their 
posterity  to  the  empire  of  the  whole  world.  Let  their  noble 
examples  animate  you :  rouse  up  the  Spirit  of  the  ancient  Bo- 
mans,  and  be  not  afraid  to  march  out  against  our  enemies  that 
are  lying  in  ambush  before  us  in  the  valley,  but  boldly  with 
your  swords  demand  of  them  your  just  rights.  Do  not  think 
that  I  retired  into  this  city  for  fear  of  engaging  with  them ; 
but  I  thought  that,  as  their  pursuit  of  us  was  rash  and  foolish; 
so  we  might  hence  on  a  sudden  intercept  them  in  it,  and  by 
dividing  their  main  body  make  a  great  slaughter  of  them. 
But  now,  since  they  have  altered  the  measures  which  we 
supposed  they  had  taken,  let  us  also  alter  ours.  Let  us  go 
in  quest  of  them  and  bravely  fall  upon  them ;  or  if  they 
shall  happen  to  have  the  advantage  in  the  beginning  of  the 
battle,  let  us  only  stand  our  ground  during  the  fury  of  their 
first  assault,  and  the  victory  will  undoubtedly  be  ours ;  for 
in  many  battles  this  manner  of  conduct  has  been  attended 
with  victory."  As  soon  as  he  had  made  an  end  of  speaking 
these  and  other  things,  they  all  declared  their  assent,  pro- 
mised with  an  oath  to  stand  by  him,  and  hastened  to  arm 
themselves.  Which  when  they  had  done,  they  marched 
out  of  Lengriae  to  the  Valley  where  Arthur  had  drawn  out 
his  forces  in  order  of  battle;  Then  they  alsb  began  to  mar- 
shal their  army,  which  they  divided  into  twelve  companies, 
and  according  to  the  Roman  manner  of  battle,  drew  out  each 
company  into  the  form  of  a  wedge,  consisting  of  six  thou- 
sand six  hundred  and  sixty-six  men.  Each  company  also 
had  its  respective  leaders,  who  were  to  give  direction  when 
to  advance^  or  when  to  be  upon  the  defensive.  One  of  them 
was  headed  by  Lucius  Catellus  the  senator,  and  Alifantinam, 
king  of  Spain ;  another  by  Hirtacius,  king  of  the  Parthians, 
and  Marius  Lepidus,  a  senator ;  a  third  by  Boccus,  king  of 
the  Medes,  and  Caius  MetelluS,  a  senator ;  a  fourth  by  Ser- 
torius,  king  of  Libya,  and  Quintus  Milyius,  a  senator. 
These  four  companies  were  placed  in  the  front  of  the 
army.  In  the  rear  of  these  were  four  others,  whereof 
one  was  commanded  by  Serses,  king  of  the  Itureans; 
another  by  Pandrasus,  king  of  Egypt;  a  third  by  Poly- 
tetes,   duke  of  Bithynia;   a    fourth    by  Teucer,  duke  of 


A.D.  620—540.]     BATTLE  BETWEEN  ARTHUR  AND  TIBERIUS.         263 

Phrygia.  And  again  behind  all  these  four  others,  whereof 
the  commanders  were  Quintus  Carucius,  a  senator,  Lselius 
Ostiensis,  Sulpitius  Subuculus,  and  Mauricius  Sylvanus. 
As  for  the  general  himself,  he  was  sometimes  in  one  place, 
sometimes  another,  to  encourage  and  direct  as  there  should 
be  occasion.  For  a  standard  he  ordered  a  golden  eagle 
to  be  firmly  set  up  in  the  centre,  for  his  men  to  repair  to 
whenever  they  should  happen  to  be  separated  from  their 
company. 


Chap.  IX. — A  battle  between,  Arthur  ahd  Lttcius  Tiberius. 

And  now  the  Britons  and  Romans  stood  presenting  their 
arms  at  one  another ;  when  forthwith  at  the  sound  of  the 
trumpets,  the  company  that  was  headed  by  the  king  of  Spain 
and  Lucius  Catellus,  boldly  rushed  forward  against  that 
which  the  king  of  Scotland  and  duke  of  Cornwall  led,  but 
were  not  able  to  make  the  least  breach  in  their  firm  ranks. 
^So  that  while  these  stood  their  ground,  up  came  Gruerinus 
and  Boso  with  a  body  of  horse  upon  their  full  speed,  broke 
through  the  party  that  began  the  assault,  and  met  with 
another  which  the  king  of  the  Farthians  was  leading  up 
against  Aschillius,  king  of  Dacia.  After  this  first  onset, 
there  followed  a  general  engagement  of  both  armies  with 
great  violence,  and  several  breaches  were  made  on  each  side. 
The  shouts,  the  slaughter,  the  quantity  of  blood  spilled,  and 
the  agonies  of  the  dying,  made  a  dreadful  scene  of  horror. 
At  first,  the  Britons  sustained  a  great  loss,  by  having  Bedver 
the  butler  killed,  and  Caius  the  sewer  mortally  wounded. 
For,  as  Bedver  met  Boccus,  king  of  the  Medes,  he  fell  dead 
by  a  stab  of  his  lance  amidst  the  enemies'  troops.  And 
Caius,  in  endeavouring  to  revenge  his  death,  was  surrounded 
by  the  Median  troops,  and  there  received  a  mortal  wound ; 
yet  as  a  brave  soldier  he  opened  himself  a  way  with  the  wing 
which  he  led,  killed  and  dispersed  the  Medes,  and  would 
have  made  a  safe  retreat  with  all  his  men,  had  he  not  met 
the  king  of  Libya  with  the  forces  under  him,  who  put  his 
whole  company  into  disorder ;  yet  not  so  great,  but  that  he 
was  still  able  to  get  off  with  a  few,  and  flee  with  Bedver's 
corps  to  the  golden  dragon.  The  Neustrians  grievously 
lamented  at  the  sight  of  their  leader's  mangled  body  ;  and  so 


264  GEOFFREYS   BRITISH  HISTORY.         [book x.  ca.  10. 

'  did  the  Andegavians,  when  they  beheld  their  consul  wounded. 
But  there  was  now  no  room  for  complaints,  for  the  furious 
and  bloody  shocks  of  both  armies  made  it  necessary  to 
provide  for  their  own  defence.  Therefore  Hirelgas,  the 
nephew  of  Bedver,  being  extremely  enraged  at  his  death, 
called  up  to  him  three  hundred  men,  and  like  a  wild  boar 
amongst  a  pack  of  dogs,  broke  through  the  enemies'  ranks 
with  his  horse,  making  towards  the  place  where  he  had  seen 
the  standard  of  the  king  of  the  Medes  ;  little  regarding  what 
might  befall  him,  if  he  could  but  revenge  the  loss  of  his 
uncle.  At  length  he  reached  the  place,  killed  the  king, 
brought  off  his  body  to  his  companions,  and  laid  it  by  that 
of  his  uncle,  where  he  mangled  it  in  the  same  manner.  Then 
calling  with  a  loud  voice  to  his  countrymen,  he  animated 
their  troops,  and  vehemently  pressed  them  to  exert  them- 
selves to  the  utmost,  now  that  their  spirits  were  raised,  and 
the  enemy  disheartened ;  and  especially  as  they  had  the 
advantage  of  them  in  being  placed  in  better  order,  and  so 
might  the  more  grievously  annoy  them.  Encouraged  with 
this  exhortation,  they  began  a  general  assault  upon  the 
enemy,  which  was  attended  with  a  terrible  slaughter  on  both 
sides.  For  on  the  part  of  the  Bomans,  besides  many  others, 
fell  Alifantinam,  king  of  Spain,  Micipsa  of  Babylon,  as  also 
Quintus  Milvius  and  Marius  Lepidus,  senators.  On  the  part 
of  the  Britons,  Holdin,  king  of  the  Kuteni,  Leodegarius  of 
Bolonia,  and  three  consuls  of  Britain,  Cursalem  of  Caicester, 
Galluc  of  Salisbury,  and  Urbgennius  of  Bath.  So  that  the 
troops  which  they  commanded,  being  extremely  weakened, 
retreated  till  they  came  to  the  army  of  the  Armorican 
Britons,  commanded  by  Hoel  and  Walgan.  But  these, 
being  inflamed  at  the  retreat  of  their  friends,  encouraged 
them  to  stand  their  ground,  and  caused  them  with  the  help 
of  their  own  forces  to  put  their  pursuers  to  flight.  While 
they  continued  this  pursuit,  they  beat  down  and  killed 
several  of  them,  and  gave  them  no  respite,  till  they  came 
to  the  general's  troop  ;  who,  seeing  the  distress  of  his  com- 
panions, hastened  to  their  assistance* 

Chap.  X. — Hoel  and  Walgan  signalize  their  valour  in  th&fighU 
And  now  in  this  latter  encounter  the  Britons  were  worsted, 
with  the  loss  of  Kimarcoc,  consul  of  Trigeria,  and  two  thou- 


A.D.820—5A0.]  LUCIUS   TIBERIUS  KILLED.  266 

sand  with  him ;  besides  three  famous  noblemen,  Richomarcus, 
Bloccovius,  and  Jagivius  of  Bodloan,  who,  had  they  but 
enjoyed  the  dignity  of  princes,  would  have  been  celebrated 
for  their  valour  through  all  succeeding  ages.  For,  during 
this  assault  which  they  made  in  conjunction  with  Hoel  and 
Walgan,  there  was  not  an  enemy  within  their  reach  that 
could  escape  the  fury  of  their  sword  or  lance.  But  upon 
their  falling  in  among  Lucius's  party,  they  were  surrounded 
by  them,  and  suffered  the  same  fate  with  the  consul  and  the 
other  men.  The  loss  of  these  men  made  those  matchless 
heroes,  Hoel  and  Walgan,  much  more  eager  to  assault  the 
generaPs  ranks,  an3Ttotry  on  all  sides  where  to  make  the 
greatest  impression.  But  Walgan,  whose  valour  was  never 
to  be  foiled,  endeavoured  to  gain  access  to  Lucius  himself, 
that  he  might  encounter  him,  and  with  this  view  beat  down 
and  killed  all  that  stood  in  his  way.  And  Hoel,  not  inferior 
to  him,  did  no  less  service  in  another  part,  by  spiriting  up 
his  men,  and  giving  and  receiving  blows  among  the  enemy 
with  the  same  undaunted  courage.  It  was  hard  to  determine, 
which  of  them  was  the  stoutest  soldier. 


Chap.  XI. — Lucius  Tiberius  being  killed,  the  Britons  obtain  the  victory. 

But  Walgan,  by  forcing  his  way  through  the  enemy's  troops, 
as  we  said  before,  found  at  last  (what  he  had  wished  for) 
access  to  the  general,  and  immediately  encountered  him. 
Lucius,  being  then  in  the  flower  of  his  youth,  and  a  person 
of  great  courage  and  vigour,  desired  nothing  more  than  to 
engage  with  such  a  one  as  might  put  his  strength  to  its  full 
trial.  Putting  himself,  therefore,  into  a  posture  of  defence,  he 
received  Walgan  with  joy,  and  was  not  a  little  proud  to  try 
his  courage  with  one  of  whom  he  had  heard  such  great  things. 
The  fight  continued  between  them  a  long  time,  with  great 
force  of  blows,  and  no  less  dexterity  in  warding  them  off, 
each  being  resolved  upon  the  other's  destruction.  During 
this  sharp  conflict  between  them,  the  Romans,  on  a  sudden, 
recovering  their  courage,  made  an  assault  upon  the  Armori- 
cans,  and  having  relieved  their  general,  repulsed  Hoel  and 
Walgan,  with  their  troops,  till  they  found  themselves 
unawares  met  by  Arthur  and  the  forces  under  him.  For 
he,  hearing  of  the  slaughter  that  was  a  little  before  made 


266  Geoffrey's  British  history.         [bookx.cb.il 

of  his  men,  had  speedily  advanced  with  his  legion,  and 
drawing  out  his  Caliburn,  spoke  to  them,  with  a  loud  voices 
after  this  manner :  "  What  are  you  doing,  soldiers  ?  Will 
you  suffer  these  effeminate  wretches  to  escape  ?  Let  not  one 
of  them  get  off  alive.  Kemember  the  force  of  your  arms, 
that  have  reduced  thirty  kingdoms  under  my  subjection. 
Remember  your  ancestors,  whom  the  Romans,  when  at  the 
height  of  their  power,  made  tributary.  Remember  your 
liberties,  which  these  pitiful  fellows,  that  are  much  your 
inferiors,  attempt  to  deprive  you  of.,  Let  none  bf  them 
escape  alive.  What  are  you  doing  ? "  With  these  expos- 
tulations, he  rushed  upon  the  enemy,  made  terrible  havoc 
among  them,  and  not  a  man  did  he  meet  but  at  one  blow 
he  laid  either  him  or  his  horse  dead  upon  the  ground.  They, 
therefore,  in  astonishment  fled  from  him,  as  a  flock  of  sheep 
from  a  fierce  lion,  whom  raging  hunger  provokes  to  devour 
whatever  happens  to  come  near  him.  Their  arms  were  no 
manner  of  protection  to  them  against  the  force  with  which 
this  valiant  prince  wielded  his  Caliburn.  Two  kings, 
Sertorius  of  Libya,  and  Polytetes  of  Bithynia,  unfortunately 
felt  its  fury,  and  had  their  heads  cut  off  by  it.  The  Britons^ 
when  they  saw  the  king  performing  such  wonders,  took 
courage  again.  With  one  consent  they  assaulted  the 
Romans,  kept  close  together  in  their  ranks,  and  while 
they  assailed  the  foot  in  one  part,  endeavoured  to  beat 
down  and  pierce  through  the  horse  in  another.  Notwith- 
standing, the  Romans  made  a  brave  defence,  and  at  the 
instigation  of  Lucius  laboured  to  pay  back  their  slaughter 
upon  the  Britons.  The  eagerness  and  force  that  were  now 
shown  on  both  sides  were  as  great  as  if  it  was  the  beginning 
of  the  battle.  Arthur  continued  to  do  great  execution  with 
his  own  hand,  and  encouraged  the  Britons  to  maintain  the 
fight ;  as  Lucius  Tiberius  did  the  Romans,  and  made  them 
perform  many  memorable  exploits.  He  himself,  in  the 
meantime,  was  very  active  in  going  from  place  to  places 
and  suffered  none  to  escape  with  life  that  happened  to  come 
within  the  reach  of  his  sword  or  lance.  The  slaughter  that 
was  now  made  on  both  sides  was  very  dreadful,  and  the 
turns  of  fortune  various,  sometimes  the  Britons  prevailing^ 
sometimes  the  Romans.  At  last,  while  this  sharp  dispute 
continued.  Morvid,  consul  of  Gloucester*  with  his 


a.d.  520— 540.]  SURRENDER  OF   THE   ROMANS.  267 

which,  as  we  said  before,  was  placed  between  the  hills,  came 
up  with  speed  upon  the  rear  of  the  enemy,  and  to  their  great 
surprise  assaulted,  broke  through,  and  dispersed  them  with 
great  slaughter.  This  last  and  decisive  blow  proved  fatal  to 
many  thousands  of  Romans,  and  even  to  the  general  Lucius 
himself,  who  was  killed  among  the  crowds  with  a  lance  by 
an  unknown  hand.  But  the  Britons,  by  long  maintaining 
the  fight,  at  last  with  great  difficulty  gained  the  victory. 

Chap.  XII. — Part  of  the  Romans  flee  ;  the  rest,  of  their  own  accord, 
surrender  themselves  for  slavis. 

The  Romans,  being  now,  therefore,  dispersed,  betook  them- 
selves through  fear,  some  to  the  by-ways  and  woods,  some  to 
the  cities  and  towns,  and  all  other  places,  where  they  could 
be  most  safe  ;  but  were  either  killed  or  taken  and  plundered 
by  the  Britons  who  pursued :  so  that  great  part  of  them 
voluntarily  and  shamefully  held  forth  their  hands,  to  receive 
their  chains,  in  order  to  prolong  for  a  while  a  wretched  life. 
In  all  which  the  justice  of  Divine  Providence  was  very 
visible ;  considering  how  unjustly  the  ancestors  of  the  Britons 
were  formerly  invaded  and  harassed  by  those  of  the  Romans; 
and  that  these  stood  only  in  defence  of  that  liberty,  which 
the  others  would  have  deprived  them  of  5  and  refused  the 
tribute,  which  the  others  had  no  right  to  demand. 

Chap.  XIII. — The  bodies  of  the  slain  are  decently  buried,  each  in  their 
respective  countries, 

Arthur,  after  he  had  completed  his  victory,  gave  orders  for 
Separating  the  bodies  of  his  nobility  from  those  of  the  enemy, 
and  preparing  a  pompous  funeral  for  them  ;  rind  that,  when 
ready,  they  should  be  carried  to  the  abbeys  of  their  repective 
countries,  there  to  be  honourably  buried.  But  Bedver  the 
butler  was,  with  great  lamentation  of  the  Neustrians,  carried 
to  his  own  city  Bajocae,  which  Bedver  the  first,  his  great 
grandfather,  had  built.  There  he  was,  with  great  solemnity, 
laid  close  by  the  wall,  in  a  burying-place  on  the  south  side  of 
the  city.  But  Cheudo  was  carried,  grievously  wounded  to 
Camus,  a  town  which  he  had  himself  built,  where  in  a  short 
time  he  died  of  his  wounds,  and  was  buried,  as  became  a 
duke  of  Andegavia,  in  a  convent  of  hermits,  which  was  in 
a  wood  not  far  from  the  town.     Also  Holdin,  duke  of  Ruteni, 


268  Geoffrey's  British  history.        [»ookxi.cb.i. 

was  carried  to  Flanders,  and  buried  in  his  own  city  Terivana. 
The  other  consuls  and  noblemen  were  conveyed  to  the  neigh- 
bouring abbeys,  according  to  Arthur's  orders.  Out  of  his 
great  clemency,  also,  he  ordered  the  country  people  to  take 
care  of  the  burial  of  the  enemy,  and  to  carry  the  body  of 
Lucius  to  the  senate,  and  tell  them,  that  was  the  only  tribute 
which  Britain  ought  to  pay  them.  After  this  he  stayed  in 
those  parts  till  the  next  winter  was  over,  and  employed  his 
time  in  reducing  the  cities  of  the  Allobroges.  But  at  the 
beginning  of  the  following  summer,  as  he  was  on  his  march 
towards  Rome,  and  was  beginning  to  pass  the  Alps,  he  had 
news  brought  him  that  his  nephew  JModred,  to  whose  care 
he  had  entrusted  Britain,  had  by  tyrannical  and  treasonable 
practices  set  the  crown  upon  his  own  head  ;  and  that  queen 
Guanhumara,  in  violation  of  her  first  marriage,  had  wickedly 
married  him. 


BOOK  XL 


Chap.  I. — Modred  makes  a  great  slaughter  of  Arthur's  men,  but  is 
beaten,  and  flees  to  Winchester. 

Of  the  matter  now  to  be  treated  o£  most  noble  consul, 
Geoffrey  of  Monmouth  shall  be  silent ;  but  will,  nevertheless, 
though  in  a  mean  style,  briefly  relate  what  he  found  in  the 
British  book  above  mentioned,  and  heard  from-  that  most 
learned  historian,  Walter,  archdeacon  of  Oxford,  concerning 
the  wars  which  this  renowned  king,  upon  his  return  to  Britain 
after  this  victory,  waged  against  his  nephew.  As  soon, 
therefore,  as  the  report,  of  this  flagrant  wickedness  reached 
him,  he  immediately  desisted  from  his  enterprise  against  Leo, 
king  of  the  Romans  ;  and  having  sent  away  Hoel,  duke  of 
the  Armoricans,  with  the  army  of  Gaul,  to  restore  peace  in 
those  parts,  returned  back  with  speed  to  Britain,  attended 
only  by  the  kings  of  the  islands,  and  their  armies.  Bat  the 
wicked  traitor,  Modred,  had  sent  Cheldricjthe  Saxon  leader, 
into  Germany,  there  to  raise  all  the  forcesne*56uld  find,  and 
return  with  all  speed :  and  in  consideration  of  this  service, 
had  promised  him  all  that  part  of  the  island,  which  reaches 


a.j>.  542.]  TREACHERY  OF   MODRED.  269 

from  the  Humber  to  Scotland,  and  whatever  Hengist  and 
Horsa  had  possessed  of  Kent  in  the  time  of  Vortigern.    So 
that  he,  in  obedience  to  his  commands,  had  arrived  with 
eight   hundred  ships   filled  with  pagan    soldierSj   and  had 
entered  into  covenant  to  obey  the  traitor  as  his  sovereign  *,       * 
who  had  also  drawn  to  his  assistance  the  Scots.  Pfct^  Jrjftfr-      V 
and  all  others  whom  he  knew  to  be  enemies  to  his  uncle» 
His  whole  army,  taking  pagans    and   Christians  together, 
amounted  to  eighty  thousand  men  ;  with  the  help  of  whom 
he  met  Arthur  just  after  his  landing  at  the  port  of  Rutupi, 
and  joining  battle  with  him,  made  a  very  great  slaughter  of 
his  men.     For  the  same  day  fell  AujmseJ,  king  of  Albania, 
and  \Vralgan,  the  king's  nephew,  with  innumerable  others* 
Augusel  was  succeeded   in   his   kingdom   by  Eventus,  his 
brother  Urian's  son,  who  afterwards  performed  many  famous 
exploits  in  those  wars.     After  they  had  at  last,  with  much 
difficulty,  got  ashore,  they  paid  back  the  slaughter,  and  put 
Modred  and  his  army  to  flight.     For,  by  long  practice  in 
war,  they  had  learned  an  excellent  way  of  ordering  their 
forces  ;  which  was  so  managed,  that  while  their  foot  were 
employed  either  in  an  assault  or  upon  the  defensive,  the 
horse  would  come  in  at  full  speed  obliquely,  break  through 
the  enemy's  ranks,  and  so  force  them  to  flee.     Nevertheless, 
this  perjured  usurper  got  his  forces  together  again,  and  thes 
night  following  entered   Winchester.      As   soon   as  queen  j 
Guanhumara  heard  this,  she  immediately,  despairing  of  sue-  i 
cess,  fled  from  York  to  the  City  of  Legions,  where  she  resolved  ;\  <4< 
to  lead  a  chaste  life  among  the  nuns  in  the  church  of  Julius 
the  Martyr,  and  entered  herself  one  of  their  order. 

Chap.  II, — Modred,  after  being  twice  besieged  and  routed,  is  hilled* 
Arthur,  being  wounded,  gives  up  the  kingdom  to  Constantine* 

But  Arthur,  whose  anger  was  now  much  more  inflamed, 
upon  the  loss  of  so  many  hundreds  of  his  fellow  soldiers, 
after  he  had  buried  his  slain,  went  on  the  third  day  to  the 
city,  and  there  besieged  the  traitor,  who,  notwithstanding, 
was  unwilling  to  desist  from  his  enterprise,  but  used  all 
methods  to  encourage  his  adherents,  and  marching  out  with 
his  troops  prepared  to  fight  his  uncle*  In  the  battle  that 
followed  hereupon,  great  numbers  lost  their  lives  on  both 
sides  ;  but  at  last  Modred's  army  suffered  most,  so  that  he 


270  Geoffrey's  British  history.      [book  xr.  ch.  2. 

was  forced  to  quit  the  field  shamefully.  From  hence  he  made 
a  precipitate  flight,  and,  without  taking  any  care  for  the 
burial  of  his  slain,  marched  in  haste  towards  Cornwall. 
Arthur,  being  inwardly  grieved  that  he  should  so  often 
escape,  forthwith  pursued  him  into  that  country  as  far  as  the 
river  Cambula,  where  the  other  was  expecting  his  coming. 
And  Modred,  as  he  was  the  boldest  of  men,  and  always  the 
quickest  at  making  an  attack,  immediately  placed  his  troops 
in  order,  resolving  either  to  conquer  or  to  die,  rather  than 
continue  his  flight  any  longer.  He  had  yet  remaining  with 
him  sixty  thousand  men,  out  of  whom  he  composed  three 
bodies,  which  contained  each  of  them  six  thousand  six  hun- 
dred and  sixty-six  men  :  but  all  the  rest  he  joined  in  one 
body  ;  and  having  assigned  to  each  of  the  other  parties  their. 
leaders,  he  took  the  command  of  this  upon  himself.  After, 
he  had  made  this  disposition  of  his  forces,  he  endeavoured  to 
animate  them,  and  promised  them  the  estates  of  their  enemies 
if  they  came  off  with  victory.  Arthur,  on  the  other  side, 
also  marshalled  his  army,  which  he  divided  into  nine  square 
companies,  with  a  right  and  left  wing ;  and  having  appointed 
to  each  of  them  their  commanders,  exhorted  them  to  make  a 
total  rout  of  those  robbers  and  perjured  villains,  who,  being 
brought  over  into  the  island  from  foreign  countries  at  the 
instance  of  the  arch-traitor,  were  attempting  to  rob  them  of 
all  their  honours.  He  likewise  told  them  that  a  mixed  army 
composed  of  barbarous  people  of  so  many  different  countries, 
and  who  were  all  raw  soldiers  and  inexperienced  in  war, 
would  never  be  able  to  stand  against  such  brave  veteran 
troops  as  they  were,  provided  they  did  their  duty.  After 
this  encouragement  given  by  each  general  to  his  fellow 
soldiers,  the  battle  on  a  sudden  began  with  great  fury  ; 
wherein  it  would  be  both  grievous  and  tedious  to  relate  the 
slaughter,  the  cruel  havoc,  and  the  excess  of  fury  that  was 
to  be  seen  on  both  sides.  In  this  manner  they  spent  a  good 
part  of  the  day,  till  Arthur  at  last  made  a  push  with  his  com? 
pany,  consisting  of  six  thousand  six  hundred  and  sixty-six 
men,  against  that  in  which  he  knew  Modred  was  ;  and  having 
opened  a  way  with  their  swords,  they  pierced  quite  through 
it,  and  made  a  grievous  slaughter.  For  in  this  assault  fell 
the  wicked  traitor  himself,  and  many  thousands" with' "him. 
But  notwithstanding  the  loss  of  him,  the  rest  did  not  flee, 


>.d.  542.]  REBELLION  OF   THE   SAXONS.  271 

but  running  together  from  all  parts  of  the  field  maintained 
their  ground  with  undaunted  courage.  The  fight  now 
grew  more  furious  than  ever,  and  proved  fatal  to  almost  all 
the  commanders  and  their  forces.  For  on  Modred's  side  fell 
Cheldric,  Elasius^  Egbrict,  and  Bunignus,  Saxons  ;  Gilla- 
patric,  Gillamor,  Gistafel,  and  Gillarius,  Irish  \  also  the 
Scots  and  Picts,  with  almost  all  their  leaders :  on  Arthur's 
side,  Olbrict,  king  of  Norway ;  Aschillius,  king  of  Dacia ; 
Cador  Limenic  Cassibellaun,  with  many  thousands  of  others,  as 
well  Britons  as  foreigners,  that  he  had  brought  with  him. 
And,  eyen  the  renownecLking  Arthur  himself  was  mortally 
wounded  ;  and  being  carried  thence  to  the  isle  of  Avallon  to  «*&— 
be  cured  of  his  wounds,  he  gave  up  the  crown  of  Britain  to  ^ 
his  kinsman  .Constagjine,  the  son  of  Cador,  duke  of  Corn- 
wall, in  the  five  hundred^  and  forty-second  year  of  our  Lord's 
incarnation.* 


Chap.  III. — Constantine  meets  with  disturbances  from  the  Sjxous  and 
Modred's  sons. 

Upon  Constantine's  advancement  to  tlie  throne,  the  Saxons, 
with  the  two  sons  of  Modred,  made  insurrection  against  him, 
though  without  success ;  for  after  many  battles  they  fled, 
one  to  London,  the  other  to  Winchester,  and  possessed  them- 
selves of  those  places.  Then  died  Saint  Daniel,  the  pious 
prelate  of  the  church  of  Bangor;  and  Theon,  bishop  of 
Gloucester,  was  elected  archbishop  of  London.  At  the 
same  time  also  died  David,  the  pious  archbishop  pjF  Legions, 
at  the  city  of  Menevia,  in  his  own  abbey ;  which  he  loved 
above  all  the  other  monasteries  of  his  diocese,  because  Saint 
Patrick,  who  had  prophetically  foretold  his  birth,  was  the 
founder  of  it.  For  during  his  residence  there  among  his 
friars,  he  was  taken  with  a  sudden  illness,  of  which  he 
died,  and,  at  the  command  of  Malgp,  king  of  the  Venedo- 
tians,  was  buried  in  that  church.  He  was  succeeded  in 
the  metropolitan  see  by  Cynoc,  bishop  of  the  church  of 
Llan -Patera,  who  was  thus  promoted  to  a  higher  dignity. 

*  The  mention  of  Constantine  brings  Geoffrey's  work  into  connection 
with  that  of  Gildas  :  the  reader  may  perhaps  from  this  point  detect  some 
slight  degree  of  verisimilitude  in  this  otherwise  fictitious  narrative. 


272  GEOFFREYS  BRITISH  HISTORY.  [book  xi.  ch.  4-?. 


Chap.  IV. — Constantine,  having  murdered  the  two  sons  of  Modred9is  him- 
self killed  by  Conan, 

But  Constantine  pursued  the  Saxons,  and  reduced  them 
under  his  yoke.  He  also  took  the  two  sons  of  Modred; 
and  one  of  them,  who  had  fled  for  sanctuary  to  the  church 
of  St.  Amphibalus,  in  Winchester,  he  murdered  before  the 
altar.  The  other  had  hidden  himself  in  a  convent  of  friars 
at  London,  but  at  last  was  found  out  by  him,  brought  before 
the  altar,  and  there  put  to  death.  Three  years  after  this,  he 
himself,  by  the  vengeance  of  God  pursuing  him,  was  killed  by 
Conan,  and  buried  close  by  Uther  Pendragon  within  the 
structure  of  stones,  which  was  set  up  with  wonderful  art  not  far 
from  Salisbury,  and  called  in  the  English  tongue,  Stonehenge. 

Chap.  V. — Aurelius  Conan  reigns  after  Constantine, 

After  him  succeeded  Aurelius  Conan,  his  nephew,  a  youth 
of  wonderful  valour ;  who,  as  he  gained  the  monarchy  of 
the  whole  island,  would  have  been  worthy  the  crown  of 
it,  had  he  not  delighted  in  civil  war.  He  raised  disturb- 
ances against  his  uncle,  who  ought  to  have  reigned  after 
Constantine,  and  cast  him  into  prison  ;  and  then  killing  his 
two  sons,  obtained  the  kingdom,  but  died  in  the  second  year 
of  his  reign. 

Chap.  VI. — Wbrtiporius,  being  declared  king,  conquers  the  Saxons. 

After  Conan  succeeded  Wortiporius,  against  whom  the 
Saxons  made  insurrection,  and  brought  over  their  countrymen 
from  Germany  in  a  very  great  fleet.  But  he  gave  them 
battle  and  came  off  with  victory,  so  that  he  obtained  the 
monarchy  of  the  whole  kingdom,  and  governed  the  people 
carefully  and  peacefully  four  years. 

Chap.  VII. — Matgo,  king  of  Britain,  and  a  most  graceful  person,  addict* 
himself  to  sodomy* 

After  him  succeeded  Malgo,  one  of  the  handsomest  of 
men  in  Britain,  a  great  scourge  of  tyrants,  and  a  man  of 
great  strength,  extraordinary  munificence,  and  matchless 
valour,  but  addicted  very  much  to  the  detestable  vice  of 
sodomy,  by  which  he  made  himself  abominable  to*Go<L     He 


a.».  577.]     geoffrby's  apostrophe  to  the  people.         273 

also  possessed  the  whole  island,  to  which,  after  a  cruel  war, 
he  added  the  six  provincial  islands,  viz.  Ireland,  Iceland, 
Gothland,  the  Orkneys,  Norway,  and  Daeia. 

Chap.  VIII. — Britain,  in  the  flame  of  a  civil  war  under  king  Careticus,  is 
miserably  wasted  by  the  Saxon*  and  Africans, 

After  Malgo  succeeded  Careticus,  a  lover  of  civil  war,  and 
hateful  to  God  and  to  the  Britons.  The  Saxons,  discovering 
his  fickle  disposition,  went  to  Ireland  for  Gormund,  king  of 
the  Africans,  who  had  arrived  there  with  a  very  great 
fleet,  and  had  subdued  that  country.  From  thence*  at 
their  traitorous  instigation,  he  sailed  over  into  Britain, 
which  the  perfidious  Saxons  in  one  part,  in  another  the 
Britons  by  their  continual  wars  among  themselves  were 
wholly  laying  waste.  Entering  therefore  into  alliance 
with  the  Saxons,  he  made  war  upon  king  Careticus,  and 
after  several  battles  fought,  drove  him  from  city  to  city,  till 
at  length  he  forced  him  to  Cirecester,  and  there  besieged 
him.  Here  Isembard,  the  nephew  of  Lewis,  king  of  the 
Franks,  came  and  made  a  league  of  amity  with  him,  and  out 
of  respect  to  him  renounced  the  Christian  faith,  on  condition 
that  he  would  assist  him  to  gain  the  kingdom  of  Gaul  from 
his  uncle,  by  whom,  he  said,  he  was  forcibly  and  unjustly 
expelled  out  of  it.  At  last,  after  taking  and  burning  the 
city,  he  had  another  fight  with  Careticus,  and  made  him  flee 
beyond  the  Severn  into  Wales.  He  then  made  an  utter 
devastation  of  the  country,  set  fire  to  the  adjacent  cities, 
and  continued  these  outrages  until  he  had  almost  burned 
up  the  whole  surface  of  the  island  from  the  one  sea  to 
the  other;  so  that  the  tillage  was  everywhere  destroyed, 
and  a  general  destruction  made  of  the  husbandmen  and 
clergy,  with  fire  and  sword.  This  terrible  calamity  caused 
the  rest  to  flee  whithersoever  they  had  any  hopes  of 
safety.  ^/ 

Chap.  IX.— The  author  upbraids  the  Britons.  ^ 

u  Why  foolish  nation  !  oppressed  with  the  weight  of  your 
abominable  wickedness,  why  did  you,  in  your  insatiable 
thirst  after  civil  wars,  so  weaken  yourself  by  domestic  con- 
fusions, that  whereas  formerly  you  brought  distant  kingdoms 
under  your  yoke,  now,  like  a  good  vineyard  degenerated  and 

T 


274  Geoffrey's  British  history.        [book  ».  c*.  10. 

turned  to  bitterness*  you  cannot  defenl  your  country,  your 
wives,  and  children,  against  your  enemies  ?  Go  on,  go  on 
in  your  civil  dissensions,  little  understanding  the  saying  in 
the  Gospel,  '  Every  kingdom  divided  against  itself  shall  be 
brought  to  desolation,  and  a  house  divided  against  itself  shall 
fall.'  Since  then  your  kingdom  was  divided  against  itself ; 
since  the  rage  of  civil  discord,  and  the  fumes  of  envy,  have 
darkened  your  minds,  since  your  pride  would  not  suffer  you 
to  pay  obedience  to  one  king ;  you  see,  therefore,  your  coun- 
try made  desolate  by  impious  pagans,  and  your  houses  falling 
one  upon  another ;  which  shall  be  the  cause  of  lasting  sor- 
row to  your  posterity.  For  the  barbarous  lionesses  shall  see 
their  whelps  enjoying  the  towns,  cities,  and  other  possessions 
of  your  children ;  from  which  they  shall  be  miserably  ex- 
pelled, and  hardly  if  ever  recover  their  former  flourishing 
state." 

Chap.  X. — Loegria  is  again  inliabited  by  the  Saxons.     The  Britons,  with 
their  bishops,  retire  into  Cornwall  and  Wales. 

But  to  return  to  the  history;  when  the  inhuman  tyrant, 
with  many  thousands  of  his  Africans,  had  made  a  devastation 
almost  over  the  whole  island,  he  yielded  up  the  greater  part 
of  it,  called  Loegria,  to  the  Saxons,  whose  villainy  had  been 
the  occasion  of  his  arrival.  Therefore  the  remainder  of  the 
Britons  retired  into  the  western  parts  of  the  kingdom,  that 
is,  Cornwall  and  Wales  ;  from  whence  they  continually 
made  frequent  and  fierce  irruptions  upon  the  enemy.  The 
three  archbishops,  viz.  the  archbishop  of  Legions,  Theon  of 
London,  and  Thadiocus  of  York,  when  they  beheld  all  the 
churches  in  their  jurisdiction  lying  level  with  the  ground, 
fled  with  all  the  clergy  that  remained  after  so  great  a  de-: 
struction,  to  the  coverts  of  the  woods  in  Wales,  carrying 
with  them  the  relics  of  the  saints,  for  fear  the  sacred  bones 
of  so  many  holy  men  of  old  might  be  destroyed  by  the  bar-; 
barians,  if  they  should  leave  them  in  that  imminent  danger, 
and  themselves  instantly  suffer  martyrdom.  Many  more 
went  over  in  a  great  fleet  into  Armorican  Britain  ;  so  that 
the  whole  church  of  the  two  provinces,  Loegria  and  North- 
umberland, had  its  convents  destroyed.  But  these  things  I 
shall  relate  elsewhere^  w.hen  I  translate  the  book  concerning 
their  banishment. 


+JD.596.]  ARRIVAL  OF   ST.   AUGUSTINE.  275 


Chap.  XI. — The  Britons  lose  their  kingdom. 

For  a  long  time  after  this  the  Britons  were  dispossessed 
of  the  crown  of  the  kingdom,  and  the  monarchy  of  the 
island,  and  made  no  endeavours  to  recover  their  ancient 
dignity  ;  but  even  that  part  of  the  country  which  yet 
remained  to  them,  being  subject  not  to  one  king,  but  three 
tyrants,  was  often  wasted  by  civil  wars.  But  neither  did 
the  Saxons  yet  obtain  the  crown,  but  were  also  subject  to 
three  kings,  who  harassed  sometimes  one  another,  sometimes 
the  Britons, 


Chap.    XII.— Augustine,   being  sent    by  pope  Gregory  into    Britain, 
preaches  the  gospel  to  the  Angles. 

In  the  meantime  Augustine  was  sent  by  pope  Saint  Gregory 
into  Britain,  to  preach  the  word  of  God  to  the  Angles,  who, 
being  blinded  with  pagan  superstition,  had  entirely  extin- 
guished Christianity  in  that  part  of  the  island  which  they 
possessed.  But  among  the  Britons,  the  Christian  faith  still 
flourished,  and  never  failed  among  them  from  the  time  of 
pope  Eleutherius,  when  it  was  first  planted  here.  But  when 
Augustine  came,  he  found  in  their  province  seven  bishoprics 
and  an  archbishopric,  all  filled  with  most  devout  prelates,  and 
a  great  number  of  abbeys  ;  by  which  the  flock  of  Christ  was 
still  kept  in  good  order.  Among  the  rest,  there  was  in  the 
city  of  Bangor  a  most  noble  church,  in  which  it  is  reported 
there  was  so  great  a  number  of  monks,  that  when  the 
monastery  was  divided  into  seven  parts,  having  each  their 
priors  over  them,  not  one  of  them  had  less  than  three 
hundred  monks,  who  all  lived  by  the  labour  of  their  own 
hands.  The  name  of  their  abbat  was  Dinooth,  a  man 
admirably  skilled  in  the  liberal  arts  ;  who,  when  Augustine 
required  the  subjection  of  the  British  bishops,  and  would 
have  persuaded  them  to  undertake  the  work  of  the  gospel 
with  him  among  the  Angles,,  answered  him  with  several^ 
arguments,  that  they  owed  no  subjection  to  him,  neither 
would  they  preach  to  their  enemies  ;  since  they  had  their 
own  archbishop,  and  because  the  Saxon  nation  persisted  in 
depriving  them  of  their  country.  For  this  reason  they 
esteemed  them  their  mortal  enemies,  reckoned  their  faith 

T  2 


276  Geoffrey's  British  history.        [book±lcb.ii 

and  religion  as  nothing,  and  would  no  more  communicate 
with  the  Angles  than  with  dogs. 

Chap.  XIII. — Ethelfrid  kills  a  great  number  of  the  British  monks,  but  is 
at  last  routed  by  the  Britons. 

Therefore  Ethelbert,  king  of  Kent,  when  he  saw  that  the 
Britons  disdained  subjection  to  Augustine,  and  despised  his 
preaching,  was  highly  provoked,  and  stirred  up  Ethelfrid, 
king  of  the  Northumbrians,  and  the  other  petty  kings  of  the 
Saxons,  to  raise  a  great  army,  and  march  to  the  city  of 
Bangor,  to  destroy  the  abbat  Dinooth,  and  the  rest  of  the 
clergy  who  held  them  in  contempt.  At  his  instigation, 
therefore,  they  assembled  a  prodigious  army,  and  in  their 
march  to  the  province  of  the  Britons,  came  to  Legecester, 
where  Brocmail,  consul  of  the  city,  was  awaiting  their 
coming.  To  the  same  city  were  come  innumerable  monks 
and  hermits  from  several  provinces  of  the  Britons,  but 
especially  from  the  city  of  Bangor,  to  pray  for  the  safety 
of  their  people.  Whereupon  Ethelfrid,  king  of  the  Nor- 
thumbrians, collecting  all  his  forces,  joined  battle  with 
Brocmail,  who,  having  a  less  army  to  withstand  him,  at 
last  quitted  the  city  and  fled,  though  not  without  having 
■  made  a  great  slaughter  of  the  enemy.     But  Ethelfrid,  when 

.  he  had  taken  the  city,  and  understood  upon  what  occasion 
the  monks  were  come  thither,  commanded  his  men  to  turn 

?£_  their  arms  first  against  them  ;  and  so  two  hundred  of  them 
were  honoured  with  the  crown  of  martyrdom,  and  admitted 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  that  same  day.  From  thence 
this  Saxon  tyrant  proceeded  on  his  march  to  Bangor j  but 
upon  the  news  of  his  outrageous  madness,  the  leaders  of  the 
Britons,  viz.  Blederic,  duke  of  Cornwall,  Margaduc,  king 
of  the  Demetians,  and  Cadwan,  of  the  Venedotians,  came 
from  all  parts  to  meet  him,  and  joining  battle  with  him, 
wounded  him,  and  forced  him  to  flee ;  and  killed  of  his 
army  to  the  number  of  ten  thousand  and  sixty-six  men.  On 
the  Britons'  side  fell  Blederic,  duke  of  Cornwall,  who  wii 
their  commander  in  those  wars. 


k.  p.  G08-620.]  CADWAN  AND  ETHELFRID  DIVIDE  BRITAIN.         277 


-^  BOOK  XII.      - 

Chap.  I. — Cad  wan  acquires  by  treaty  all  Britain  on  this  side  of  the  Hum' 
ber,  and  Ethel/rid  the  rest. 

After  this  all  the  princes  of  the  Britons  met  together  at 
the  city  of  Legecester,  and  consented  to  make  Cadwan  their 
king,  that  under  his  command  they  might  pursue  Ethelfrid 
beyond  the  Humber.  Accordingly,  as  soon  as  he  was 
crowned,  they  flocked  together  from  all  parts,  and  passed  the 
Humber  ;  of  which  when  Ethelfrid  received  intelligence,  he 
entered  into  a  confederacy  with  all  the  Saxon  kings,  and 
went  to  meet  Cadwan.  At  last,  as  they  were  forming  their 
troops  for  a  battle,  their  friends  came,  and  made  peace 
between  them  on  these  terms :  that  Cadwan  should  enjoy 
that  part  of  Britain  which  lies  on  this  side  of  the  Humber,  and 
Ethelfrid  that  which  is  beyond  it.  As  soon  as  they  had 
confirmed  this  agreement  with  an  oath  made  to  their 
hostages,  there  commenced  such  a  friendship  between  them, 
that  they  had  all  things  common.  In  the  meantime  it 
happened,  that  Ethelfrid  banished  his  own  wife  and  married 
another,  and  bore  so  great  a  hatred  to  her  that  was  banished, 
that  he  would  not  suffer  her  to  live  in  the  kingdom  of 
Northumberland.  Whereupon  she,  being  with  child,  went 
to  king  Cadwan,  that  by  his  mediation  she  might  be  restored 
to  her  husband.  But  when  Ethelfrid  could  by  no  means  be 
brought  to  consent  to  it,  she  continued  to  live  with  Cadwan, 
till  she  was  delivered  of  the  son  which  she  had  conceived. 
A  short  time  after  her  delivery,  Cadwan  also  had  a  son  born 
to  him  by  the  queen,  his  wife.  Then  were  the  two  boys 
brought  up  together  in  a  manner  suitable  to  their  royal 
birth,  one  of  which  was  called  Cadwalla,  the  other  Edwin. 
When  they  were  nearly  arrived  at  men's  estate,  their  parents 
sent  them  to  Salomon,  king  of  the  Armorican  Britons,  that 
in  his  court  they  might  learn  the  discipline  of  war,  and  other 
princely  qualifications.  This  prince,  therefore,  received  them 
graciously,  and  admitted  them  to  an  intimacy  with  him  ;  so 
that  there  was  none  of  their  age  in  the  whole  court,  that  had 
a  free  access,  or  more  familiarly  discoursed  with  the  king 
than  they.     At  last  he  himself  was  an  eye-witness  of  their 


278  Geoffrey's  British  history.        [book  w.  ch.  «. 

exploits  against  the  enemy,  in  which  they  very  much  signa- 
lized their  valour. 


Chap.  II. — Cadvsalla  breaks  the  covenant  lie  had  made  with  Edwin* 

In  process  of  time,  when  their  parents  were  dead,  they 
returned  to  Britain,  where  they  took  upon  them  the 
government  of  the  kingdom,  and  began  to  form  the  same 
friendship  as  their  fathers.  Two  years  after  this,  Edwin 
asked  leave  of'  Cadwalla  to  wear  a  crown,  and  to  celebrate 
the  same  solemnities,  as  had  been  used  of  old  in  Northum- 
berland. And  when  they  had  begun  a  treaty  upon  this 
subject  by  the  river  Duglas,  that  the  matter  might  be 
adjusted  according  to  the  advice  of  their  wise  counsellors ; 
it  happened  that  Cadwalla  was  lying  on  the  other  side  of  the 
river  in  the  lap  of  a  certain  nephew  of  his,  whose  name  was 
Brian.  While  ambassadors  were  negotiating  between  them, 
Brian  wept,  and  shed  tears  so  plentifully,  that  the  king's  face 
and  beard  were  wet  with  them.  The  king,  imagining  that 
it  rained,  lifted  up  his  face,  and  seeing  the  young  man  in 
tears,  asked  him  the  occasion  of  such  sudden  grief.  "  Good 
reason,"  said  he,  "  have  I  to  weep  continually,  as  well  as  the 
whole  British  nation,  which  has  groaned  under  the  oppression 
of  barbarians  ever  since  the  time  of  Malgo,  and  has  not  yet 
got  a  prince,  to  restore  it  to  its  ancient  flourishing  state.  And 
even  the  little  honour  that  it  had  left,  is  lessened  by  your 
indulgence ;  since  the  Saxons,  who  are  only  strangers,  and 
always  traitors  to  our  country,  must  now  be  permitted  to 
wear  the  same  crown  as  you  do.  For  when  once  they  shall 
attain  to  regal  dignity,  it  will  be  a  great  addition  to  their 
glory  in  the  country  from  whence  they  came  ;  and  they  will 
the  sooner  invite  over  their  countrymen,  for  the  utter  extirp- 
ation of  our  race.  For  they  have  been  always  accustomed 
to  treachery,  and  never  to  keep  faith  with  any ;  which  I 
think  should  be  a  reason  for  our  keeping  them  under,  and 
not  for  exalting  them.  When  king  Vortigern  first  retained 
them  in  his  service,  they  made  a  show  of  living  peaceably, 
and  fighting  for  our  country,  till  they  had  an  opportunity  of 
practising  their  wickedness  ;  and  then  they  returned  evil  for 
good,  betrayed  him,  and  made  a  cruel  massacre  of  the  people 
of  the  kingdom.     Afterwards  they  betrayed  Amelias  Ain- 


ad  630.]  EDWIN   CONQUERS   CADWALLA.  279 

brosius,  to  whom,  even  after  the  most  tremendous  oaths 
of  fidelity,  at  a  banquet  with  him  they  gave  a  draught 
of  poison.  They  also  betrayed  Arthur,  when,  setting  aside 
the  covenant  by  which  they  were  bound,  they  joined  with 
his  nephew  Modred,  and  fought  against  him.  Lastly,  they 
broke  faith  with  king  Careticus,  and  brought  upon  him 
Gormund,  king  of  the  Africans,  by  whose  disturbances  our 
people  were  robbed  of  their  country,  and  the  king  disgrace- 
fully driven  out 

Chap.  III. — A  quarrel  between  Cadwalla  and  Edwin. 

At  the  mention  of  these  things,  Cadwalla  repented  of  enter- 
ing into  this  treaty,  and  sent  word  to  Edwin  that  he  could 
by  no  means  induce  his  counsellors  to  consent  to  his  petition. 
For  they  alleged  that  it  was  contrary  to  law  and  the  ancient 
establishment,  that  an  island,  which  has  always  had  no  more 
than  one  crown,  should  be  now  under  subjection  to  two 
crowned  heads.  This  message  incensed  Edwin,  and  made 
him  break  off  the  conference,  and  retire  into  Northumber- 
land, saying,  he  would  be  crowned  without  Cadwalla's 
leave.  When  Cadwalla  was  told  this,  he  declared  to  him 
by  his  ambassadors  that  he  would  cut  off  his  crowned  head, 
if  he  presumed  to  wear  a  crown  within  the  kingdom  of 
Britain. 

Chap.  IV. — Cadwalla  is  vanquished  by  Edwin,  and  driven  out  of  the 


This  proved  the  occasion  of  a  war  between  them,  in  which, 
after  several  engagements  between  their  men,  they  at  last 
met  together  themselves  beyond  the  Humbef,  and  had  a 
battle,  wherein  Cadwalla  lost  many  thousands  of  his  fol- 
lowers, and  was  put  to  flight.*  From  hence  he  marched 
with  precipitation  through  Albania,  and  went  over  to  Ireland. 
But  Edwin,  after  this  victory,  led  his  army  through  the  pro- 
vinces of  the  Britons,  and  burning  the  cities  before  him,  griev- 
ously afflicted  the  citizens  and  country  people.  During  this 
exercise  of  his  cruelty,  Cadwalla  never  ceased  endeavouring 
to  return  back  to  his  country  in  a  fleet,  but  without  success ; 
because  to  whatever  port  he  steered,  Edwin  met  him  with 
his  forces,  and  hindered  his  landing.  For  there  was  come  to 
•  See  Malmesbury's  Hist,  of  the  Kings,  p.  46. 


280  Geoffrey's  British  history.       [book  xh.  cs.  l 

him  from  Spain  a  very  skilful  soothsayer,  named  Pellitus, 
who,  by  the  flight  of  birds  and  the  courses  of  the  stars, 
foretold  all  the  disasters  that  would  happen.  By  these 
means  Edwin,  getting  knowledge  of  Cadwafia's  return,  pre- 
pared to  meet  him,  and  shattered  his  ships  so  that  he  drowned 
his  men,  and  beat  him  off  from  all  his  ports.  Cadwalla,  not 
knowing  what  course  to  take,  was  almost  in  despair  of  ever 
returning.  At  last  it  came  into  his  head  to  go  to  Salomon, 
king  of  the  Armorican  Britons,  and  desire  his  assistance  and 
advice,  to  enable  him  to  return  to  his  kingdom.  And  so,  as 
he  was  steering  towards  Armorica,  a  strong  tempest  rose  on 
a  sudden,  which  dispersed  the  ships  of  his  companions,  and 
in  a  short  time  left  no  two  of  them  together.  The  pilot  of 
the  king's  ship  was  seized  immediately  with  so  great  a  fear, 
that  quitting  the  stern,  he  left  the  vessel  to  the  disposal  of 
fortune ;  so  that  all  that  night  it  was  tossed  up  and  down  in 
great  danger  by  the  raging  waves.  The  next  morning  they 
arrived  at  a  certain  island  called  Garnareia,  where  with 
great  difficulty  they  got  ashore.  Cadwalla  was  forthwith 
seized  with  such  grief  for  the  loss  of  his  companions,  that 
for  three  days  and  nights  together  he  refused  to  eat,  but  lay 
sick  upon  his  bed.  The  fourth  day  he  was  taken  with  a  very 
great  longing  for  some  venison,  and  causing  Brian  to  be 
called,  made  him  acquainted  with  it.  Whereupon  Brian 
took  his  bow  and  quiver,  and  went  through  the  island,  that 
if  he  could  light  on  any  wild  beast,  he  might  make  booty  of 
it.  And  when  he  had  walked  over  the  whole  island  without 
finding  what  he  was  in  quest  of,  he  was  extremely  concerned 
that  he  could  not  gratify  his  master's  desire ;  and  was  afraid 
his  sickness  would  prove  mortal  if  his  longing  were  not 
satisfied.  He,  therefore,  fell  upon  a  new  device,  and  exit  a 
piece  of  flesh  out  of  his  own  thigh,  which  he  roasted  upon  a 
spit,  and  carried  to  the  king  for  venison.  The  king,  think- 
ing it  to  be  real  venison,  began  to  eat  of  it  to  his  great  re- 
freshment, admiring  the  sweetness  of  it,  which  he  fancied 
exceeded  any  flesh  he  ever  had  tasted  before*  At  last,  when 
he  had  fully  satisfied  his  appetite,  he  became  more  cheerful, 
and  in  three  days  was  perfectly  well  again.  Then  the  wind 
standing  fair,  he  got  ready  his  ship,  and  hoisting  sails 
they  pursued  their  voyage,  and  arrived  at  the  city  Ki- 
daleta.      From   thence   they    went  to  king    Salomon,  fay 


a.d.  631.]  SPEECH  OF  KING  SALOMON.  281 

whom  they  were  received  kindly  and  with  all  suitable  re- 
spect ;  and  as  soon  as  he  had  learned  the  occasion  of  their 
coming,  he  made  them  a  promise  of  assistance,  and  spoke  to 
them  as  follows. 

Chap,  V. — The  speech  of  Salomon,  king  of  Armoricay  to  Cadwalla. 

"It  is  a  grief  to  us,  noble  youths,  that  the  country  of  your 
ancestors  is  oppressed  by  a  barbarous  nation,  and  that  you 
are  ignominiously  driven  out  of  it.  But  since  other  men  are 
able  to  defend  their  kingdoms,  it  is  a  wonder  your  people 
should  lose  so  fruitful  an  island,  and  not  be  able  to  with- 
stand the  nation  of  the  Angles,  whom  our  countrymen  hold 
in  contempt.  While  the  people  of  this  country  lived  toge- 
ther with  yours  in  Britain,  they  bore  sway  over  all  the  pro- 
vincial kingdoms,  and  never  could  be  subdued  by  any  nation 
but  the  Romans.  Neither  did  the  Romans  do  this  by  their 
own  power,  as  I  have  been  lately  informed,  but  by  a  dissen- 
sion among  the  nobility  of  the  island.  And  even  the 
Romans,  though  they  held  it  under  their  subjection  for  a 
time,  yet  upon  the  loss  and  slaughter  of  their  rulers,  were 
driven  out  with  disgrace.  But  after  the  Britons  came  into 
this  province  under  the  conduct  of  Maximian  and  Conan, 
those  that  remained  never  had  the  happiness  afterwards  of 
holding  an  uninterrupted  possession  of  the  crown.  For 
though  many  of  their  princes  maintained  the  ancient  dignity 
of  their  ancestors,  yet  their  weak  heirs  that  succeeded, 
though  more  in  number,  entirely  lost  it,  upon  the  invasion 
of  their  enemies.  Therefore  I  am  grieved  for  the  weakness 
of  your  people,  since  we  are  of  the  same  race  with  you,  and 
the  name  of  Britons  is  common  to  you,  and  to  the  nation  that 
bravely  defends  their  country,  which  you  see  at  war  with  all 
its  neighbours." 

Chap.  VI. — Cadwalltfs  answer  to  Salomon, 

When  he  had  concluded  his  speech,  Cadwalla,  who  was  a 
little  put  to  the  blush,  answered  him  after  this  manner  : 
"  Royal  sir,  whose  descent  is  from  a  race  of  kings,  I  give 
you  many  thanks  for  your  promise  of  assisting  me  to  recover 
my  kingdom.  But  what  you  say  is  a  wonder,  that  my  people 
have  not  maintained  the  dignity  of  their  ancestors,  since  the 


282  Geoffrey's  British  history.         Lbook  xn.  «i.  «. 

time  that  the  Britons  came  to  these  provinces,  I  am  far  from 
thinking  to  be  such.  For  the  noblest  men  of  the  whole 
kingdom  followed  those  leaders,  and  there  remained  only  the 
baser  sort  to  enjoy  their  honours  ;  who  being  raised  to  a 
high  quality,  on  a  sudden  were  puffed  up  above  their  sta- 
tion ;  and  growing  wanton  with  riches  gave  themselves  up  to 
commit  such  fornication  as  is  not  so  much  as  named  among  the 
Gentiles ;  and  (as  Gildas  the  historian  testifies)  were  not  only 
guilty  of  this  vice,  but  of  all  the  enormities  that  are  incident 
to  human  nature.  And  what  chiefly  prevailed,  to  the  entire 
overthrow  of  all  goodness,  was  the  hatred  of  truth  with  its 
assertors,  the  love  of  a  lie  with  the  inventors  of  it,  the  em- 
bracing oP  evil  for  good,  the  veneration  of  wickedness  for 
grace,  the  receiving  of  Satan  for  an  angel  of  light.  Kings 
were  anointed,  not  for  the  sake  of  God,  but  such  as  were 
more  cruel  than  the  rest ;  and  were  soon  after  murdered  by 
their  anointers,  without  examination,  having  chosen  others 
yet  more  cruel  in  their  room.  But  if  any  of  them  showed 
any  mildness,  or  seemed  a  favourer  of  truth,  against  him,  as 
the  subverter  of  Britain,  were  all  their  malice  and  their 
weapons  bent.  In  short,  things  pleasing  to  God  or  displeas- 
ing, with  them  had  the  same  weight,  even  if  the  worse  were 
not  the  weightier.  Therefore  were  all  affairs  managed  con- 
trary to  public  safety,  as  if  the  true  physician  of  all  had  left 
them  destitute  of  cure.  And  thus  was  every  thing  done 
without  discretion,  and  that  not  only  by  secular  men,  but  by 
the  Lord's  flock  and  its  pastors.  Therefore  it  is  not  to  be 
wondered,  that  such  a  degenerate  race,  so  odious  to  God  for 
their  vices,  lost  a  country  which  they  had  so  heinously  cor- 
rupted. For  God  was  willing  to  execute  his  vengeance  upon 
them,  by  suffering  a  foreign  people  to  come  upon  them,  and 
drive  them  out  of  their  possessions.  Notwithstanding  it 
would  be  a  worthy  act,  if  God  would  permit  it,  to  restore 
our  subjects  to  their  ancient  dignity,  to  prevent  the  reproach 
that  may  be  thrown  upon  our  race,  that  we  were  weak 
rulers,  who  did  not  exert  ourselves  in  our  own  defence. 
And  I  do  the  more  freely  ask  your  assistance,  as  you  are  of 
the  same  blood  with  us.  For  the  great  Malgo,  who  was  the 
fourth  king  of  Britain  after  Arthur,  had  two  sons,  named 
Ennianus  and  Runo;  Ennianus  begot  Belin;  Belin,  Jago; 
Jago,  Cadwan,  who  was  my  father.     Runo,  who,  after  his 


a.  d63o.]  death  of  edwin's  magician.  283 

brother's  death,  was  driven  out  by  the  Saxons,  came  to  this 
province  and  bestowejl-JaMrttaughter  on  duke  Hoel,  the  son 
of  that  great  Hoel  who  shared  with  Arthur  in  his  conquests* 
Of  her  was  born  Alan ;  of  Alan,  Hoel  your  father,  who 
while  he  lived  was  a  terror  to  all  Gaul." 

Chap.  VIL — BnattMlh  Eduoin's  magician* 

In  the  meantime,  while  he  was  spending  the  winter  with 
Salomon,  they  entered  into  a  resolution,  that  Brian  should 
pass  over  into  Britain,  and  take  some  method  to  kill  Edwin's 
magician,  lest  he  might  by  his  usual  art  inform  him  of  Cad- 
walla's  coming.  And  when  with  this  design  he  had  arrived 
at  Hamo's  Port,  he  took  upon  him  the  habit  of  a  poor  man, 
and  made  himself  a  staff  of  iron  sharp  at  the  end,  with 
which  he  might  kill  the  magician  if  he  should  happen  to 
meet  with  him.  From  thence  he  went  to  York,  where  Ed- 
win then  resided ;  and  having  entered  that  city  joined  him- 
self to  the  poor  people  that  waited  for  alms  before  the  king's 
gate.  But  as  he  was  going  to  and  fro,  it  happened  that  his 
sister  came  out  of  the  hall,  with  a  basin  in  her  hand,  to 
fetch  water  for  the  queen.  She  had  been  taken  by  Edwin 
at  the  city  of  Worcester,  when  after  Cadwalla's  flight  he 
was  acting  his  hostilities  upon  the  provinces  of  the  Britons. 
As  she  was  therefore  passing  by  Brian,  he  immediately  knew 
her,  and,  breaking  forth  into  tears,  called  to  her  with  a  low 
voice ;  at  which  the  damsel  turning  her  face,  was  in  doubt  at 
first  who  it  could  be,  but  upon  a  nearer  approach  discovered 
it  to  be  her  brother,  and  was  near  falling  into  a  swoon,  for 
fear  that  he  might  by  some  unlucky  accident  be  known  and 
taken  by  the  enemy.  She  therefore  refrained  from  saluting 
him,  or  entering  into  familiar  discourse  with  him,  but  told 
him,  as  if  she  was  talking  upon  some  other  subject,  the 
state  of  the  court,  and  showed  him  the  magician,  that  he 
was  inquiring  for,  who  was  at  that  very  time  walking  among 
the  poor  people,  while  the  alms  were  being  distributed 
among  them.  Brian,  as  soon  as  he  had  taken  knowledge  of 
the  man,  ordered  his  sister  to  steal  out  privately  from  her 
apartment  the  night  following,  and  come  to  him  near  an  old 
church  without  the  city,  where  he  would  conceal  himself  in 
expectation  of  her.  Then  dismissing  her,  he  thrust  himself 
in  among  the  crowd  of  poor  people*  in  that  part  where  Pel* 


) 


284  Geoffrey's  British  history.        [book  m.  c; 

litus  was  placing  them.  And  the  same  moment  he  got 
access  to  him,  he  lifted  up  his  staff,  and  at  once  gave  him  a 
stab  under  the  breast  which  killed  him.  This  done,  he  threw 
away  his  staff,  and  passed  among  the  rest  undistinguished 
and  unsuspected  by  any  of  the  by-standers,  and  by  good  pro- 
vidence got  to  the  place  of  concealment  which  he  had  ap- 
pointed. His  sister,  when  night  came  on,  endeavoured  all 
she  could  to  get  out,  but  was  not  able ;  because  Edwin,  being 
terrified  at  the  killing  of  Pellitus,  had  set  a  strict  watch 
about  the  court,  who,  making  a  narrow  search,  refused  to  let 
her  go  out.  When  Brian  found  this,  he  retired  from  that 
place,  and  went  to  Exeter,  where  he  called  together  the 
Britons,  and  told  them  what  he  had  done.  Afterwards  hav- 
ing despatched  away  messengers  to  Cadwalla,  he  fortified 
that  city,  and  sent  word  to  all  the  British  nobility,  that  they 
should  bravely  defend  their  cities  and  towns,  and  joyfully 
expect  Cadwalla's  coming  to  their  relief  in  a  short  time  with 
auxiliary  forces  from  Salomon.  Upon  the  spreading  of  this 
news  over  the  whole  island,  Penda,  king  of  the  Mercians, 
with  a  very  great  army  of  Saxons,  came  to  Exeter,  and  be- 
sieged Brian. 

Chap.  VIII. — Cadwalla  takes  Penda,  and  routs  his  army. 

In  the  meantime  Cadwalla  arrived  with  ten  thousand  men, 
whom  king  Salomon  had  delivered  to  him  ;  and  with  them 
he  marched  straight  to  the  siege  against  king  Penda.  But, 
as  he  was  going,  he  divided  his  forces  into  four  parts,  and 
then  made  no  delay  to  advance  and  join  battle  with  the 
enemy,  wherein  Penda  was  forthwith  taken,  and  his  army 
routed.  For,  finding  no  other  way  for  his  own  safety,  he 
surrendered  himself  to  Cadwalla,  and  gave  hostages,  with  a 
promise  that  he  would  assist  him  against  the  Saxons.  Cad- 
walla, after  this  success  against  him,  summoned  together  his 
nobility,  that  had  been  a  long  time  in  a  decaying  state,  and 
marched  to  Northumberland  against  Edwin,  and  made  con- 
tinual devastations  in  that  country.  When  Edwin  was  in- 
formed of  it,  he  assembled  all  the  petty  kings  of  the  Angles, 
and  meeting  the  Britons  in  a  field  called  Heathfield,*  presently 
gave  them  battle,  but  was  killed,  and  almost  all  the  people 

See  Bede's  Eccles.  Hist.  p.  106. 


ad.  634-642.]  CADWALLA's   CONQUESTS.  285 

with  him,  together  with  Osfrid,  his  son,  and  Godbold,  king 
of  the  Orkneys,  who  had  come  to  their  assistance* 

Chap.  IX. — Cadwalla  kills  Osric  and  Aidan  in  fight. 

Having  thus  obtained  the  victory,  Cadwalla  marched  through 
the  provinces  of  the  Angles,  and  committed  such  outrages 
upon  the  Saxons,  that  he  neither  spared  age  nor  sex  ;  for  his 
resolution  being  to  extirpate  the  whole  race  out  of  Britain, 
all  that  he  found  he  put  to  extreme  tortures.  After  this  he 
had  a  battle  with  Osric,  Edwin's  successor,  and  killed  him 
together  with  his  two  nephews,  who  ought  to  have  reigned 
after  him.  He  also  killed  Aidan,  king  of  the  Scots,  who 
came  to  their  assistance. 

Chap.  X. — Oswald  routs  Penda  in  fight,  but  is  killed  by  Cadwalla  coming 
in  upon  him. 

Their  deaths  made  room  for  Oswald  to  succeed  to  the  king* 
dom  of  Northumberland ;  but  Cadwalla  drove  him,  with  the 
rest  that  had  given  him  disturbance,  to  the  very  wall  which 
the  emperor  Severus  had  formerly  built  between  Britain  and 
Scotland.  Afterwards  he  sent  Penda,  king  of  the  Mercians, 
and  the  greatest  part  of  his  army,  to  the  same  place,  to  give 
him  battle.  But  Oswald,  as  he  was  besieged  one  night  by 
Penda,  in  the  place  called  Heavenfield,  that  is,  the  Heavenly 
Field,*  set  up  there  our  Lord's  cross,  and  commanded  his 
men  to  speak  with  a  very  loud  voice  these  words  :  "  Let  us 
all  kneel  down,  and  pray  the  Almighty,  living  and  true 
God,  to  defend  us  from  the  proud  army  of  the  king  of  Britain, 
and  his  wicked  leader  Penda.  For  he  knows  how  justly  We 
wage  this  war  for  the  safety  of  our  people."  They  all  there- 
fore did  as  he  commanded  them,  and  advanced  at  break  of 
day  against  the  enemy,  and  by  their  faith  gained  the  victory. 
Cadwalla,  upon  hearing  this  news,  being  inflamed  with  rage, 
assembled  his  army,  and  went  in  pursuit  of  the  holy  king 
Oswald  ;  and  in  a  battle  which  he  had  with  him  at  a  place 
called  Burne,  Penda  broke  in  upon  him  and  killed  him. 

Chap.  XI. — Oswy  submits  to  Cadwalla.   Penda  desires  leave  of  Cadwalla 
to  make  war  against  him. 

Oswald,  with  many  thousands  of  his  men,  being  killed,  his 

brother  Oswy  succeeded  him  in  the  kingdom  of  Northumber- 

•  See  Bede'e  Eecles.  Hist.  p.  110. 


286  Geoffrey's  bbitish  history,      [bookzu.ch.is. 

land,*  and  by  making  large  presents  of  gold  and  silver  to 
Cadwalla,  who  was  now  possessed  of  the  government  of  all 
Britain,  made  his  peace  and  submission  to  him.  Upon  this 
Alfrid,  his  brother,  and  Ethelwald,'f  his  brother's  son,  began 
an  insurrection  ;  but,  not  being  able  to  hold  out  against  Jiim, 
they  fled  to  Penda,  king  of  the  Mercians,  desiring  him  to 
assemble  his  army  and  pass  the  Humber  with  them,  that  he 
might  deprive  Oswy  of  his  kingdom.  But  Penda,  fearing  to 
break  the  peace,  which  Cadwalla  had  settled  through  the 
kingdom  of  Britain,  deferred  beginning  any  disturbance  with- 
out his  leave,  till  he  could  some  way  work  him  up,  either  to 
make  war  himself  upon  Oswy,  or  allow  him  the  liberty  of 
doing  it.  At  a  certain  Pentecost  therefore,  when  Cadwalla 
was  celebrating  that  festival  at  London,  and  for  the  greater 
solemnity  wore  the  crown  of  Britain,  all  the  kings  of  the 
Angles,  excepting  only  Oswy,  being  present,  as  also  all  the 
dukes  of  the  Britons  ;  Penda  went  to  the  king,  and  inquired 
of  him  the  reason,  why  Oswy  alone  was  wanting,  when  all 
the  princes  of  the  Saxons  were  present.  Cadwalla  answered, 
that  his  sickness  was  the  cause  of  it ;  to  which  the  other 
replied,  that  he  had  sent  over  to  Germany  for  more  Saxons, 
to  revenge  the  death  of  his  brother  Oswald  upon  them  both. 
He  told  him  further,  that  he  had  broken  the  peace  of  the 
kingdom,  as  being  the  sole  author  of  the  war  and  dissension 
among  them  ;  since  Ethelfrid,  king  of  Northumberland,  and 
Ethelwalcl,  his  brother's  son,  had  been  by  him  harassed  with 
a  war,  and  driven  out  of  their  own  country.  He  also  desired 
leave,  either  to  kill  him,  or  banish  him  the  kingdom. 

Chap.  XII. — Cadwalla  is  advised  to  suffer  Penda  to  make  an  insurrection 
against  Oswy. 

Tins  matter  caused  the  king  to  enter  upon  much  deliberation, 
and  hold  a  private  consultation  with  his  intimate  friends, 
what  course  to  take.  Among  the  rest  that  offered  their  pro- 
posals, Margadud,  king  of  the  Dimetians,  spoke  as  follows : 
— "  Royal  sir,  since  you  have  proposed  to  expel  the  race  of 
the  Angles  from  the  coasts  of  Britain,  why  do  you  alter  your 
resolution,  and  suffer  them  to  continue  in  peace  among  us  ? 
At  least  you  should  permit  them  to  fall  out  among  them- 

*  Or  Bernicia,  see  fiede,  p.  131.  t  Who  reigned  oyer  the  Deiri. , 


a.d.  642.]  KING  CADWALLA's  DEATH.  287 

selves,  and  let  our  country  owe  its  deliverance  to  their  own 
civil  broils.  No  faith  is  to  be  kept  with  one  that  is  treach- 
erous, and  is  continually  laying  snares  for  him  to  whom  he 
owes  fidelity.  Such  have  the  Saxons  always  been  to  our 
nation,  from  the  very  first  time  of  their  coming  among  us. 
What  faith  ought  we  to  keep  with  them  ?  Let  Penda  imme- 
diately have  leave  to  go  against  Oswy,  that  by  this  civil  dis- 
sension and  destruction  of  one  another,  our  island  may  get 
rid  of  them. 

Chap.  XIII. — Penda  is  killed  by  Oswy*     Cadwalla  dies. 

By  these  and  other  words  to  the  same  effect,  Cadwalla  was 
prevailed  upon  to  grant  the  permission  desired.  And  Penda, 
having  assembled  a  vast  army,  went  to  the  Humber,  and 
laying  waste  that  country,  began  a  fierce  war  upon  the  king. 
Oswy  was  at  last  reduced  to  such  extremity,  that  he  was 
forced  to  promise  him  innumerable  royal  ornaments,  and 
other  presents  more  than  one  would  believe,  if  he  would 
desist  from  ruining  his  country,  and  return  home  without 
committing  any  more  hostilities.  But  when  the  other  could 
by  no  entreaties  be  prevailed  upon  to  do  it,  the  king,  in  hopes 
of  divine  assistance,  though  he  had  a  less  army,  however, 
gave  him  battle  near  the  River  Winwid,  and  having  killed 
Penda  and  thirty  other  commanders,  gained  the  victory. 
Penda's  son  Wulfred,  by  a  grant  from  Cadwalla,  succeeded 
to  the  kingdom,  and  joining  with  Eafa  and  Eadbert,  two 
leaders  of  the  Mercians,  rebelled  against  Oswy ;  but  at  last, 
by  Cadwalla's  command,  made  peace  with  him.  At  length, 
after  forty-eight  years  were  expired,  that  most  noble  and 
potent  king  of  the  Britons,  Cadwalla,  being  grown  infirm  with 
age  and  sickness,  departed  this  life  upon  the  fifteenth  before 
the  kalends  of  December.  The  Britons  embalmed  his  body, 
and  placed  it  with  wonderful  art  in  a  brazen  statue,  which 
was  cast  according  to  the  measure  of  his  stature.  This 
statue  they  set  up  with  complete  armour,  on  an  admirable  and 
beautiful  brazen  horse,  over  the  western  gate  of  London,  for 
a  monument  of  the  above-mentioned  victory,  and  for  a  terror 
to  the  Saxons.  They  also  built  under  it  a  church  in  honour 
of  St.  Martin,  in  which  divine  ceremonies  are  celebrated  for 
him  and  the  others  who  departed  in  the  faith. 


288  GEOfcFREY*S   BRITISH  HISTORY,  [boojk  xii.  ch.  14,15 


C&ap.  XIV. — Cadwallader  succeeds  Cadwalla* 

He  was  succeeded  in  the  kingdom  by  Cadwallader,*  his  son, 
whom  Bede  calls  the  youth  Elidwalda.  At  first  he  main- 
tained the  government  with  peace  and  honour ;  but  after 
twelve  years'  enjoyment  of  the  crown,  he  fell  into  a  fit  of 
sickness,  and  a  civil  war  broke  out  among  the  Britons.  His 
mother  was  Penda's  sister,  by  the  same  father  but  a  different 
mother,  descended  from  the  noble  race  of  the  Gewisseans. 
For  Cadwalla,  after  his  reconciliation  with  her  brother,  made 
her  the  partner  of  his  bed,  and  had  Cadwallader  by  her. 

Chap.  XV. — -The  Britons  are  compelled,  by  pestilence  and  famine,  to  leave 
Britain,     Cadwallader* s  lamentation. 

During  his  sickness,  the  Britons,  (as  we  said  before,)  quar- 
relling among  themselves,  made  a  wicked  destruction  of  a 
rich  country  ;  and  this  again  was  attended  with  another  mis- 
fortune. For  this  besotted  people  was  punished  with  a 
grievous  and  memorable  famine  ;  so  that  every  province  was 
destitute  of  all  sustenance,  except  what  could  be  taken  in 
hunting.  After  the  famine  followed  a  terrible  pestilence, 
which  in  a  short  time  destroyed  such  multitudes  of  people, 
that  the  living  were  not  sufficient  to  bury  the  dead.  Those 
of  them  that  remained,  flying  their  country  in  whole  troops 
together,  went  to  the  countries  beyond  the  sea,  and  while 
they  were  under  sail,  they  with  a  mournful  howling  voice 
sang,  "  Thou  hast  given  us,  O  God,  like  sheep  appointed  for 
meat,  and  hast  scattered  us  among  the  heathen."  Also  Cad- 
wallader himself,  in  his  voyage,  with  his  miserable  fleet  to 
Armorica,  made  this  addition  to  the  lamentation,  "  Woe  to 
us  sinners,  for  our  grievous  impieties,  wherewith  we  have 
not  ceased  to  provoke  God,  while  we  had  space  for  repent- 
ance. Therefore  the  revenge  of  his  power  lies  heavy  upon 
us,  and  drives  us  out  of  our  native  soil,  which  neither  the 
Romans  of  old,  nor  the  Scots  or  Picts  afterwards,  nor  yet 
the  treacherous  Saxons  with  all  their  craft,  were  able  to  do. 
But  in  vain  have  we  recovered  our  country  so  often  from 
them  5  since  it  was  not  the  will  of  God  that  we  should  per- 

*  Probably  the  same  as  Caed walla,  king  of  Wessex,  noticed  by  Bede 
and  the  Saxon  Chronicle,  although  the  British  and  Saxon  authorities  differ 
in  their  genealogical  statements. 


a.0.689.]  SAXONS  POSSESS  ALL  BRITAIN.  289 

petually  hold  tlie  government  of  it.  He  who  is  the  true  Judge, 
when  he  saw  we  were  by  no  means  to  be  reclaimed  from  our 
wickedness,  and  that  no  human  power  could  expel  our  race, 
was  willing  to  chastise  our  folly  himself ;  and  has  turned  his 
anger  against  us,  by  which  we  are  driven  out  in  crowds 
from  our  native  country.  Return,  therefore,  ye  Romans  ; 
return,  Scots  and  Picts  ;  return,  Ambrons  and  Saxons :  be- 
hold, Britain  lies  open  to  you,  being  by  the  wrath  of  God 
made  desolate,  which  you  were  never  able  to  do.  It  is  not 
your  valour  that  expels  us  ;  but  the  power  of  the  supreme 
King,  whom  we  have  never  ceased  to  provoke." 

Chap.  XVI. — Cadwallader  with  his  people  goes  to  Alan.     The  Saxons 
seize  all  Britain. 

With  these  dolorous  complaints  he  arrived  at  the  Armorican 
coast,  and  went  with  his  whole  company  to  king  Alan,  the 
nephew  of  Salomon  by  whom  he  was  honourably  received.  So 
that  Britain,  being  now  destitute  of  its  ancient  inhabitants,  ex- 
cepting a  few  in  Wales  that  escaped  the  general  mortality, 
became  a  frightful  place  even  to  the  Britons  themselves  for 
eleven  years  after.  Neither  was  it  at  the  same  time  more 
favourable  to  the  Saxons,  who  died  in  it  without  intermission. 
Notwithstanding  the  remainder  of  them,  after  this  raging 
plague  was  ceased,  according  to  their  old  custom  sent  word 
over  to  their  countrymen,  that  the  island  of  Britain  was  now 
freed  of  its  native  inhabitants,  and  lay  open  to  them,  if  they 
would  come  over  and  inhabit  it.  As  soon  as  they  had  re- 
ceived this  information,  that  odious  people,  gathering  together 
an  innumerable  multitude  of  men  and  women,  arrived  in 
Northumberland,  and  inhabited  the  provinces  that  lay  deso- 
late from  Albania  to  Cornwall.  For  there  was  now  nobody 
to  hinder  them,  excepting  the  poor  remains  of  the  Britons, 
who  continued  together  in  the  thickets  of  the  woods  in  Wales. 
From  that  time  the  power  of  the  Britons  ceased  in  the  island, 
and  the  Angles  began  their  reign. 

Chap.  XVII. — Cadwallader  is  by  the  voice  of  an  angel  deterred  from 
returning  to  Britain. 

After  some  time,  when  the  people  had  recovered  strength, 
Cadwallader,  being  mindful  of  his  kingdom,  which  was  now 
free  from  the  contagion  of  the  pestilence,  desired  assistance 

u 


290  Geoffrey's  British  histort.     l«x>k  xh.  ch.  i& 

of  Alan  towards  the  recovery  of  his  dominions.  The  king 
granted  his  request ;  but  as  he  was  getting  ready  a  fleet*  he 
was  commanded  by  the  loud  voice  of  an  angel  to  desist  from 
his  enterprise.  For  God  was  not  willing  that  the  Britons 
should  reign  any  longer  in  the  island,  before  the  time  came  of 
which  Merlin  prophetically  foretold  Arthur.  It  also  com- 
manded him  to  go  to  Eome  to  pope  Sergius,  where,  after 
doing  penance,  he  should  be  enrolled  among  the  saints.  It 
told  him  withal,  that  the  Britons,  by  the  merit  of  their  faith, 
should  again  recover  the  island,  when  the  time  decreed  for 
it  was  come.  But  this  would  not  be  accomplished  before 
they  should  be  possessed  of  his  reliques,  and  transport  them 
from  Rome  into  Britain.  At  the  same  time  also  the  reliques 
of  the  other  saints  should  be  found,  which  had  been  hidden 
on  account  of  the  invasion  of  pagans  ;  and  then  at  last  would 
they  recover  their  lost  kingdom.  When  the  holy  prince  had 
received  the  heavenly  message,  he  went  straight  to  king  Alan, 
and  gave  him  an  account  of  what  had  been  told  him. 

Chap.  XVIII. — Cadwallader  goes  to  Rome  and  dies. 

Then  Alan  had  recourse  to  several  books,  as  the  prophecies 
of  the  eagle  that  prophesied  at  Shaftesbury,  and  the  verses 
of  Sibyl  and  Merlin  ;  and  made  diligent  search  in  them,  to 
see  whether  the  revelation  made  to  Cadwallader  agreed  with 
those  written  oracles.  And  when  h3  could  find  nothing 
contradictory  to  it,  he  admonished  Cadwallader  to  submit  to 
the  divine  dispensation,  and  laying  aside  the  thoughts  of 
Britain,  perform  what  the  angelical  voice  had  commanded 
him.  But  he  urged  him  to  send  his  son  Ivor  and  his  nephew 
Ini  over  into  the  island,  to  govern  the  remainder  of  the 
Britons  ;  lest  a  nation,  descended  of  so  ancient  a  race,  should 
lose  their  liberty  by  the  incursions  of  barbarians.  Then 
Cadwallader,  renouncing  worldly  cares  for  the  sake  of  God 
and  his  everlasting  kingdom,  went  to  Borne,  and  was  con- 
tinued by  pope  Sergius  :  and  being  seized  with  a  sudden  ill- 
ness, was,  upon  the  twelfth  before  the  kalends  of  May,  in  the 
six  hundred  and  eighty-ninth  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation 
freed  from  the  corruption  of  the  flesh,  and  admitted  into  the 
glories  of  the  heavenly  kingdom. 


a.d.  688.1  Geoffrey's  conclusion.  291 


Chap.  XlXi—The  two  Britons,  Ivor  and  Ini,  in  vain  attack  the  nation 
of  the  Angles,    Athelstan  the  first  king  of  the  Angles, 

As  soon  as  Ivor  and  Ini  had  got  together  their,  ships,  they 
with  all  the  forces  they  could  raise,  arrived  in  the  island,  and 
for  forty-nine  years  together  fiercely  attacked  the  nation  of 
the  Angles,  but  to  little  purpose.  For  the  above-mentioned 
mortality  and  famine,  together  with  the  inveterate  spirit  of 
faction  that  was  among  them,  had  made  this  proud  people  so 
much  degenerate,  that  they  were  not  able  to  gain  any  advan- 
tage of  the  enemy.  And  being  now  also  overrun  with  bar- 
barism, they  were  no  longer  called  Britons,  but  Gualenses, 
Welshmen  ;  a  word  derived  either  from  Gualo  their  leader, 
or  Guales  their  queen,  or  from  their  barbarism.  But  the 
Saxons  managed  affairs  with  more  prudence,  maintained 
peace  and  concord  among  themselves,  tilled  their  grounds, 
rebuilt  their  cities  and  towns,  and  so  throwing  off  the  domi- 
nion of  the  Britons,  bore  sway  over  all  Loegria,  under  their 
leader  Athelstan,  who  first  wore  a  crown  amongst  them. 
But  the  Welshmen,  being  very  much  degenerated  from  the 
nobility  of  the  Britons,  never  after  recovered  the  monarchy 
of  the  island  ;  on  the  contrary,  by  quarrels  among  themselves, 
and  wars  with  the  Saxons,  their  country  was  a  perpetual 
scene  of  misery  and  slaughter. 

Chap.  XX. — Geoffrey  of  Monmouth e  conol'ision. 

But  as  for  the  kings  that  have  succeeded  among  them  in 
Wales,  since  that  time,  I  leave  the  history  of  them  to  Cara- 
doc  of  Lancarvan,  my  contemporary  ;  as  I  do  also  the  kings 
of  the  Saxons  to  William  of  Malmesbury,  and  Henry  of 
Huntingdon.  But  I  advise  them  to  be  silent  concerning  the 
kings  of  the  Britons,*  since  they  have  not  that  book  written 

*  This  advice  might  be  thought  judicious,  if  we  could  be  persuaded  of 
the  authenticity  of  Geoffrey's  cherished  discovery,  but  there  are  lamentable 
defects,  of  a  grave  character,  attending  upon  this  British  volume. 

1 .  It  was  first  made  known  six  hundred  years  after  the  events  which  it 
relates. 

2.  No  MS.  copy  is  now  in  existence,  nor  any  record  of  its  ever  having 
been  multiplied  by  transcription. 

3.  It  relates  stories  utterly  at  variance  with  acknowledged  history. 

4.  It  abounds  in  miraculous  stories,  which,  like  leaven,  ferment  and  cor- 
rupt the  whole  mass. 

v2 


292  Geoffrey's  bbitish  history.        [bookxui.ch.20. 

in  the  British  tongue,  which  Walter,  archdeacon  of  Oxford, 
brought  out  of  Brittany,  and  which  being  a  true  history, 
published  in  honour  of  those  princes,  I  have  thus  taken  care 
to  translate. 

5.  It  labours  under  great  suspicion  from  the  mendacious  character  of 
the  people,  whose  credit  it  was  written  to  support. 

With  these  remarks  we  leave  the  work  to  the  consideration  of  the  reader, 
who  may  compare  it,  if  he  likes,  with  the  Chronicles  of  Gildas  and  Nen- 
nius,  which  form  the  next  portions  of  this  volume. 


THE 

WORKS  OF  GILDAS, 


SURKAHED 


'SAPIENS*"  OB  THE  WISE. 


THE 

WORKS  OF  GILDAS, 


SURNAMKD 


"SAPIENS,"  OR  THE  WISE. 


I.  THE  PREFACE. 

§  1.  Whatever  in  this  my  epistle  I  may  write  in  my 
humble  but  well-meaning  manner,  rather  by  way  of  lament- 
ation than  for  display,  let  no  one  suppose  that  it  springs 
from  contempt  of  others,  or  that  I  foolishly  esteem  myself 
as  better  than  they ; — for,  alas !  the  subject  of  my  complaint 
is  the  general  destruction  of  every  thing  that  is  good,  and 
the  general  growth  of  evil  throughout  the  land  ; — but  that  I 
would  condole  with  my  country  in  her  distress  and  rejoice  to 
see  her  revive  therefrom :  for  it  is  my  present  purpose  to 
relate  the  deeds  of  an  indolent  and  slothful  race,  rather  than 
the  exploits  of  those  who  have  been  valiant  in  the  field.*  I 
have  kept  silence,  I  confess,  with  much  mental  anguish, 
compunction  of  feeling  and  contrition  of  heart,  whilst  I 
revolved  all  these  things  within  myself;  and,  as  God  the 
searcher  of  the  reins  is  witness,  for  the  space  of  even  ten 
years  or  more,  [  f  my  inexperience,  as  at  present  also,  and 
my  unworthiness  preventing  me  from  taking  upon  myself 
the  character  of  a  censor.     But  I  read  how  the  illustrious 

*  Notwithstanding  this  remark  of  Gildas,  the  Britons  must  have  shown 
great  bravery  and  resolution  in  their  battles  against  the  Saxons,  or  they 
would  not  have  resisted  their  encroachments  so  long.  When  Gildas  was 
writing,  a  hundred  years  had  elapsed,  and  the  Britons  still  possessed  a  large 
portion  of  their  native  country. 

f  All  that  follows,  enclosed  within  brackets,  up  to  page  298,  is  omitted 
in  some  copies. 


296  THE  WORKS  OF   G1LDAS.  [sac.  L 

lawgiver,  for  one  word's  doubting,  was  not  allowed  to  enter 
"  the  desired  land ;  that  the  sons  of  the  high-priest,  for  placing 
strange  fire  upon  God's  altar,  were  cut  off  by  a  speedy  death; 
that  God's  people,  for  breaking  the  law  of  God,  save  two 
only,  were  slain  by  wild  beasts,  by  fire  and  sword  in  the 
deserts  of  Arabia,  though  God  had  so  loved  them  that  he 
had  made  a  way  for  them  through  the  Red  Sea,  had  fed 
them  with  bread  from  heaven,  and  water  from  the  rock,  and 
by  the  lifting  up  of  a  hand  merely  had  made  their  armies 
invincible  ;  and  then,  when  they  had  crossed  the  Jordan 
and  entered  the  unknown  land,  and  the  walls  of  the  city 
had  fallen  down  flat  at  the  sound  only  of  a  trumpet,  the 
taking  of  a  cloak  and  a  little  gold  from  the  accursed  things 
caused  the  deaths  of  many :  and  again  the  breach  of  their 
treaty  with  the  Gibeonites,  though  that  treaty  had  been 
obtained  by  fraud,  brought  destruction  upon  many ;  and  I 
took  warning  from  the  sins  of  the  people  which  called  down 
upon  them  the  reprehensions  of  the  prophets  and  also  of 
Jeremiah,  with  his  fourfold  Lamentations  written  in  alphas 
betic  order.  I  saw  moreover  in  my  own  time,  as  that  prophet 
also  had  complained,  that  the  city  had  sat  down  lone  and 
widowed,  which  before  was  full  of  people ;  that  the  queen 
of  nations  and  the  princess  of  provinces  (i.  e.  the  church), 
had  been  made  tributary ;  that  the  gold  was  obscured,  and 
the  most  excellent  colour  (which  is  the  brightness  of  God's 
word)  changed  ;  that  the  sons  of  Sion  (t.  e.  of  holy  mother 
church),  once  famous  and  clothed  in  the  finest  gold,  grovelled 
in  dung  ;  and  what  added  intolerably  to  the  weight  of  grief 
of  that  illustrious  man,  and  to  mine,  though  but  an  abject, 
whilst  he  had  thus  mourned  them  in  their  happy  and 
prosperous  condition,  "Her  Nazarites  were  fairer  than 
snow,  more  ruddy  than  old  ivory,  more  beautiful  than  the 
sapphire."  These  and  many  other  passages  in  the  ancient 
Scriptures  I  regarded  as  a  kind  of  mirror  of  human  life,  and 
I  turned  also  to  the  New,  wherein  I  read  more  clearly  what 
perhaps  to  me  before  was  dark,  for  the  darkness  fled,  and 
truth  shed  her  steady  light — I  read  therein  that  the  Lord 
had  said,  "  I  came  not  but  to  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house 
of  Israel ; "  and  on  the  other  hand,  "  But  the  children  of  this 
kingdom  shall  be  cast  out  into  outer  darkness ;  there  shall 
be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth : "  and  again,  "  It  is  not 


sec.  1.]  THE   PREFACE.  297 

good  to  take  the  children's  meat  and  to  give  it  to  dogs : " 
also,  "  Woe  to  you,  scribes  and  pharisees,  hypocrites  ! "  I 
heard  how  "many  shall  come  from  the  east  and  the  west, 
and  shall  sit  down  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  : "  and  on  the  contrary,  "  I  will  then  say 
to  them,  '  Depart  from  me,  ye  workers  of  iniquity  ! ' "  I 
read,  "  Blessed  are  the  barren,  and  the  teats  which  have  not 
given  suck  ; "  and  on  the  contrary,  "  Those,  who  were  ready, 
entered  with  him  to  the  wedding ;  afterwards  came  the  other 
virgins  also,  saying  '  Lord,  Lord,  open  to  us :'  to  whom  it 
was  answered,  'I  do  not  know  you.'"  I  heard,  forsooth, 
"  Whoever  shall  believe  and  be  baptized,  shall  be  saved, 
but  whoever  shall  not  believe  shall  be  damned."  I  read 
in  the  words  of  the  apostle  that  the  branch  of  the  wild 
olive  was  grafted  upon  the  good  olive,  but  should  never- 
theless be  cut  off  from  the  communion  of  the  root  of  its 
fatness,  if  it  did  not  hold  itself  in  fear,  but  entertained 
lofty  thoughts.  I  knew  the  mercy  of  the  Lord,  but  I  also 
feared  his  judgment :  I  praised  his  grace,  but  I  feared  the 
rendering  to  every  man  according  to  his  works  :  perceiving 
the  sheep  of  the  same  fold  to  be  different,  I  deservedly  com- 
mended Peter  for  his  entire  confession  of  Christ,  but  called 
Judas  most  wretched,  for  his  love  of  covetousness :  I  thought 
Stephen  most  glorious  on  account  of  the  palm  of  martyrdom, 
but  Nicholas  wretched  for  his  mark  of  unclean  heresy :  I 
read  assuredly,  "They  had  all  things  common :"  but  likewise 
also,  as  it  is  written,  "  Why  have  ye  conspired  to  tempt  the 
Spirit  of  God  ? "  I  saw,  on  the  other  hand,  how  much 
security  had  grown  upon  the  men  of  our  time,  as  if  there 
were  nothing  to  cause  them  fear.  These  things,  therefore, 
and  many  more  which  for  brevity's  sake  we  have  determined 
to  omit,  I  revolved  again  and  again  in  my  amazed  mind  with 
compunction  in  my  heart,  and  I  thought  to  myself,  "  If  God's 
peculiar  people,  chosen  from  all  the  people  of  the  world,  the 
royal  seed,  and  holy  nation,  to  whom  he  had  said,  '  My  first- 
begotten  Israel,'  its  priests,  prophets,  and  kings,  throughout 
so  many  ages,  his  servant  and  apostle,  and  the  members  of 
his  primitive  church,  were  not  spared  when  they  deviated 
from  the  right  path,  what  will  he  do  to  the  darkness  of  this 
our  age,  in  which,  besides  all  the  huge  and  heinous  sins, 
which  it  has  in  common  with  all  the  wicked  of  the  world 


298  THE  WORKS  OF   GILDAS.  [sec.  I. 

committed,  is  found  an  innate,  indelible,  and  irremediable 
load  of  folly  and  inconstancy  ?"  "What,  wretched  man  (I 
say  to  myself)  is  it  given  to  you,  as  if  you  were  an  illustrious 
and  learned  teacher,  to  oppose  the  force  of  so  violent  a 
torrent,  and  keep  the  charge  committed  to  you  against  such 
a  series  of  inveterate  crimes  which  has  spread  far  and  wide, 
without  interruption,  for  so  many  years  ?  Hold  thy  peace  : 
to  do  otherwise,  is  to  tell  the  foot  to  see,  and  the  hand  to 
speak.  Britain  has  rulers,  and  she  has  watchmen :  why  dost 
thou  incline  thyself  thus  uselessly  to  prate  ?  *  She  has  such, 
I  say,  not  too  many,  perhaps,  but  surely  not  too  few :  but, 
because  they  are  bent  down  and  pressed  beneath  so  heavy  a 
burden,  they  have  not  time  allowed  them  to  take  breath. 
My  senses,  therefore,  as  if  feeling  a  portion  of  my  debt  and 
obligation,  preoccupied  themselves  with  such  objections,  and 
with  others  yet  more  strong.  They  struggled,  as  I  said,  no 
short  time,  in  a  fearful  strait,  whilst  I  read,  "  There  is  a  time 
for  speaking,  and  a  time  for  keeping  silence."  At  length, 
the  creditor's  side  prevailed  and  bore  off  the  victory :  if 
(said  he)  thou  art  not  bold  enough  to  be  marked  with  the 
comely  mark  of  golden  liberty  among  the  prophetic  creatures, 
who  enjoy  the  rank  as  reasoning  beings  next  to  the  angels, 
refuse  not  the  inspiration  of  the  understanding  ass,  to  that 
day  dumb,  which  would  not  carry  forward  the  tiara'd  magi- 
cian who  was  going  to  curse  God's  people,  but  in  the  narrow 
pass  of  the  vineyard  crushed  his  loosened  foot,  and  thereby 
felt  the  lash ;  and  though  he  was,  with  his  ungrateful  and 
furious  hand,  against  right  justice,  beating  her  innocent 
sides,  she  pointed  out  to  him  the  heavenly  messenger  holding 
the  naked  sword,  and  standing  in  his  way,  though  he  had  not 
seen  him.] 

Wherefore  in  zeal  for  the  house  of  God  and  for  his  holy 
law,  constrained  either  by  the  reasonings  of  my  own  thoughts, 
or  by  the  pious  entreaties  of  my  brethren,  I  now  discharge 
the  debt  so  long  exacted  of  me  ;  humble,  indeed,  in  style, 
but  faithful,  as  I  think,  and  friendly  to  all  Christ's  youthful 
soldiers,  but  severe  and  insupportable  to  foolish  apostates ; 
the  former  of  whom,  if  I  am  not  deceived,  will  receive  the 
same  with  tears  flowing  from  God's  love ;  but  the  others  with 
sorrow,  such  as  is  extorted  from  the  indignation  and  pusil- 
lanimity of  a  convicted  conscience. 


pbc.  2,3.]  BEITAIN — ITS   SITUATION.  299 

§  2.  I  will,  therefore,  if  God  be  willing,  endeavour  to  say 
a  few  words  about  the  situation  of  Britain,  her  disobedience 
and  subjection,  her  rebellion,  second  subjection  and  dreadful 
slavery — of  her  religion,  persecution,  holy  martyrs,  heresies 
of  different  kinds  —of  her  tyrants,  her  two  hostile  and 
ravaging  nations— of  her  first  devastation,  her  defence,  her 
second  devastation  and  second  taking  vengeance — of  her 
third  devastation,  of  her  famine,  and  the  letters  to  Agitius  * 
— of  her  victory  and  her  crimes — of  the  sudden  rumour  of 
enemies— of  her  famous  pestilence— of  her  counsels— -of  her 
last  enemy,  far  more  cruel  than  the  firsts- of  the  subversion 
of  her  cities,  and  of  the  remnant  that  escaped  ;  tod  finally, 
of  the  peace  which,  by  the  will  of  God,  has  been  granted  her 
in  these  our  times. 


II.  THE  HISTORY. 

§  3.  The  island  of  Britain,  situated  on  almost  the  utmost 
border  of  the  earth,  towards  the  south  and  west,  and  poised 
in  the  divine  balance,  as  it  is  said,  which  supports  the  whole 
world,  stretches  out  from  the  south-west  towards  the  north 
pole,  and  is  eight  hundred  miles  long  and  two  hundred 
broad,*  except  where  the  headlands  of  sundry  promontories 
stretch  farther  into  the  sea.  It  is  surrounded  by  the  ocean, 
which  forms  winding  bays,  and  is  strongly  defended  by 
this  ample,  and,  if  I  may  so  call  it,  impassable  barrier,  save 
on  the  south  side,  where  the  narrow  sea  affords  a  passage  to 
Belgic  Gaul.  It  is  enriched  by  the  mouths  of  two  noble 
rivers,  the  Thames  and  the  Severn,  as  it  were  two  arms,  by 
which  foreign  luxuries  were  of  old  imported,  and  by  other 
streams  of  less  importance.  It  is  famous  for  eight  and 
twenty  cities,  and  is  embellished  by  certain  castles,  with 
walls,  towers,  well  barred  gates,  and  houses  with  threatening 
battlements  built  on  high,  and  provided  with  all  requisite 

*  Or  .<£tius,  see  page  307. 

+  The  description  of  Britain  is  given  in  very  nearly  the  same  terms,  by 
Orosius,  Bede,  and  others,  but  the  numbers,  denoting  the  length  and 
breadth  and  other  dimensions,  are  different  in  almost  every  MS.  copy* 


300  THE  WORKS  OP  GLLDA8.  [«»  L 

instruments  of  defence.  Its  plains  are  spacious,  its  hills  are 
pleasantly  situated,  adapted  for  superior  tillage,  and  its 
mountains  are  admirably  calculated  for  the  alternate  pastur- 
age of  cattle,  where  flowers  of  various  colours,  trodden  by 
the  feet  of  man,  give  it  the  appearance  of  a  lovely  picture. 
It  is  decked,  like  a  man's  chosen  bride,  with  divers  jewels, 
with  lucid  fountains  and  abundant  brooks  wandering  over 
the  snow  white  sands ;  with  transparent  rivers,  flowing  in 
gentle  murmurs,  and  offering  a  sweet  pledge  of  slumber*  to 
those  who  recline  upon  their  banks,  whilst  it  is  irrigated 
by  abundant  lakes,  which  pour  forth  cool  torrents  of  refresh- 
ing water. 

§  4.  This  island,  stiff-necked  and  stubborn-minded,  from 
the  time  of  its  being  first  inhabited,  ungratefully  rebels, 
sometimes  against  God,  sometimes  against  her  own  citizens, 
and  frequently,  also,  against  foreign  kings  and  their  subjects. 
For  what  can  there  either  be,  or  be  committed,  more  dis- 
graceful or  more  unrighteous  in  human  affairs,  than  to  refuse 
to  show  fear  to  God  or  affection  to  one's  own  countrymen,  and 
(without  detriment  to  one's  faith)  to  refuse  due  honour  to 
those  of  higher  dignity,  to  cast  off  all  regard  to  reason, 
human  and  divine,  and,  in  contempt  of  heaven  and  earth,  to 
be  guided  by  one's  own  sensual  inventions  ?  I  shall,  there- 
fore, omit  those  ancient  errors  common  to  all  the  nations  of 
the  earth,  in  which,  before  Christ  came  in  the  flesh,  all  man- 
kind were  bound ;  nor  shall  I  enumerate  those  diabolical 
idols  of  my  country,  which  almost  surpassed  in  number 
those  of  Egypt,  and  of  which  we  still  see  some  mouldering 
away  within  or  without  the  deserted  temples,  with  stiff  and 
deformed  features  as  was  customary.  Nor  will  I  call  out  upon 
the  mountains,  fountains,  or  hills,  or  upon  the  rivers,  which 
now  are  subservient  to  the  use  of  men,  but  once  were  an 
abomination  and  destruction  to  them,  and  to  which  the  blind 
people  paid  divine  honour.  I  shall  also  pass  over  the  by- 
gone times  of  our  cruel  tyrants,  whose  notoriety  was  spread 
over  to  far  distant  countries ;  so  that  Porphyry,  that  dog  who 
in  the  east  was  always  so  fierce  against  the  church,  in  his  mad 
and  vain  style  added  this  also,  that  "  Britain  is  a  land  fertile 

*  "  Soporem"  in  some  MSS.,  "  saporem  "  in  others ;  it  is  difficult  horn 
the  turgidity  and  superabundance  of  the  style  to  determine  which  it  the 
best  meaning. 


sjco  5,  6.]  REBELLION  OF  THE  BRITONS.  301 

in  tyrants."*  I  will  only  endeavour  to  relate  the  evils 
which  Britain  suffered  in  the  times  of  the  Roman  emperors, 
and  also  those  which  she  caused  to  distant  states ;  but  so  far 
as  lies  in  my  power,  I  shall  not  follow  the  writings  and 
records  of  my  own  country,  which  (if  there  ever  were  any 
of  them)  have  been  consumed  in  the  fires  of  the  enemy,  or 
have  accompanied  my  exiled  countrymen  into  distant  lands, 
but  be  guided  by  the  relations  of  foreign  writers,  which, 
being  broken  and  interrupted  in  many  places,  are  therefore 
by  no  means  clear. 

§  5.  For  when  the  rulers  of  Rome  had  obtained  the 
empire  of  the  world,  subdued  all  the  neighbouring  nations 
and  islands  towards  the  east,  and  strengthened  their  renown 
by  the  first  peace  which  they  made  with  the  Parthians,  who 
border  on  India,  there  was  a  general  cessation  from  war 
throughout  the  whole  world;  the  fierce  flame  which  they 
kindled  could  not  be  extinguished  or  checked  by  the  Western 
Ocean,  but  passing  beyond  the  sea,  imposed  submission  upon 
our  island  without  resistance,  and  entirely  reduced  to  obedi- 
ence its  unwarlike  but  faithless  people,  not  so  much  by  fire 
and  sword  and  warlike  engines,  like  other  nations,  but  threats 
alone,  and  menaces  of  judgments  frowning  on  their  counte- 
nance, whilst  terror  penetrated  to  their  hearts. 

§  6.  When  afterwards  they  returned  to  Rome,  for  want 
of  pay,  as  is  said,  and  had  no  suspicion  of  an  approaching 
rebellion,  that  deceitful  lioness  (Boadicea)  put  to  death  the 
rulers  who  had  been  left  among  them,  to  unfold  more  fully 
and  to  confirm  the  enterprises  of  the  Romans.  When 
the  report  of  these  things  reached  the  senate,  and  they 
with  a  speedy  army  made  haste  to  take  vengeance  on  the 
crafty  foxes,  f  as  they  called  them,  there  was  no  bold  navy 
on  the  sea  to  fight  bravely  for  the  country ;  by  land  there 
was  no  marshalled  army,  no  right  wing  of  battle,  nor  other 
preparation  for  resistance ;  but  their  backs  were  their  shields 
against  their  vanquishers,  and  they  presented  their  necks  to 

*  Gildas  here  confuses  the  modern  idea  of  a  tyrant  with  that  of  an 
usurper.  The  latter  is  the  sense  in  which  Britain  was  said  to  be  fertile  in 
tyrants,  viz.  in  usurpers  of  the  imperial  dignity. 

f  The  Britons  who  fought  under  Boadicea  were  anything  but  "crafty 
foxes."  w  Bold  lions  "  is  a  much  more  appropriate  appellation ;  they 
would  also  have  been  victorious  if  they  had  had  half  the  military  advantages 
of  the  Romans, 


302  '  THE  WORKS  OF  GILDAS.  Use.  7—9. 

their  swords,  whilst  chill  terror  ran  through  every  limb, 
and  they  stretched  out  their  hands  to  be  bound,  like  women ; 
so  that  it  has  become  a  proverb  far  and  wide,  that  the 
Britons  are  neither  brave  in  war  nor  faithful  in  time  of 
peace. 

§  7.  The  Romans,  therefore,  having  slain  many  of  the 
rebels,  and  reserved  others  for  slaves,  that  the  land  might 
not  be  entirely  reduced  to  desolation,  left  the  island,  destitute 
as  it  was  of  wine  and  oil,  and  returned  to  Italy,  leaving  behind 
them  taskmasters,  to  scourge  the  shoulders  of  the  natives,  to 
reduce  their  necks  to  the  yoke,  and  their  soil  to  the  vassalage 
of  a  Roman  province ;  to  chastise  the .  crafty  race,  not  with 
warlike  weapons,  but  with  rods,  and  if  necessary  to  gird 
upon  their  sides  the  naked  sword,  so  that  it  was  no  longer 
thought  to  be  Britain,  but  a  Roman  island;  and  all  their 
money,  whether  of  copper,  gold,  or  silver,  was  stamped  with 
Caesar's  image. 

§  8.  Meanwhile  these  islands,  stiff  with  cold  and  frost, 
and  in  a  distant  region  of  the  world,  remote  from  the  visible 
sun,  received  the  beams  of  light,  that  is,  the  holy  precepts 
of  Christ,  the  true  Sun,  showing  to  the  whole  world  his 
splendour,  not  only  from  the  temporal  firmament,  but  from 
the  height  of  heaven,  which  surpasses  every  thing  temporal, 
at  the  latter  part,  as  we  know,  of  the  reign  of  Tiberius 
Caesar,  by  whom  his  religion  was  propagated  without  im- 
pediment, and  death  threatened  to  those  who  interfered  with 
its  professors. 

§  9.  These  rays  of  light  were  received  with  lukewarm 
minds  by  the  inhabitants,  but  they  nevertheless  took  root 
among  some  of  them  in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  until  the 
nine  years'  persecution  of  the  tyrant  Diocletian,  when  the 
churches  throughout  the  whole  world  were  overthrown,  all 
the  copies  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  which  could  be  found 
burned  in  the  streets,  and  the  chosen  pastors  of  God's  flock 
butchered,  together  with  their  innocent  sheep,  in  order  that 
not  a  vestige,  if  possible,  might  remain  in  some  provinces  of 
Christ's  religion.  What  disgraceful  flights  then  took  place 
— what  slaughter  and  death  inflicted  by  way  of  punishment 
in  divers  shapes, — what  dreadful  apostacies  from  religion; 
and  on  the  contrary,  what  glorious  crowns  of  martyrdom 
then  were  won, — what  raving  fury  was  displayed  by  the 


»*c  10, 11.]  MARTYRDOM  OF  ST.  ALBAN.  303 

persecutors,  and  patience  on  the  part  of  the  suffering  saints, 
ecclesiastical  history  informs  us ;  for  the  whole  church  were 
crowding  in  a  body,  to  leave  behind  them  the  dark  things* 
of  this  world,  and  to  make  the  best  of  their  way  to  the 
happy  mansions  of  heaven,  as  if  to  their  proper  home. 

§  10.  God,  therefore,  who  wishes  all  men  to  be  saved,  and 
who  calls  sinners  no  less  than  those  who  think  themselves 
righteous,  magnified  his  mercy  towards  us,  and,  as  we  know, 
during  the  above-named  persecution,  that  Britain  might  not 
totally  be  enveloped  in  the  dark  shades  of  night,  he,  of  his 
own  free  gift,  kindled  up  among  us  bright  luminaries  of  holy 
martyrs,  whose  places  of  burial  and  of  martyrdom,  had  they 
not  for  our  manifold  crimes  been  interfered  with  and  de- 
stroyed by  the  barbarians,  would  have  still  kindled  in  the 
minds  of  the  beholders  no  small  fire  of  divine  charity.  Such 
were  St.  Alban  of  Verulam,  Aaron  and  Julius,  citizens  of 
Carlisle,*  and  the  rest,  of  both  sexes,  who  in  different  places 
stood  their  ground  in  the  Christian  contest. 

§  11.  The  first  of  these  martyrs,  St.  Alban,  for  charity's 
sake  saved  another  confessor  who  was  pursued  by  his  perse- 
cutors, and  was  on  the  point  of  being  seized,  by  hiding  hfm 
in  his  house,  and  then  by  changing  clothes  with  him,  imita- 
ting in  this  the  example  of  Christ,  who  laid  down  his  life 
for  his  sheep,  and  exposing  himself  in  the  other's  clothes  to 
be  pursued  in  his  stead.  So  pleasing  to  God  was  this  con* 
duct,  that  between  his  confession  and  martyrdom,  he  was 
honoured  with  the  performance  of  wonderful  miracles  in 
presence  of  the  impious  blasphemers  who  were  carrying  the 
Koman  standards,  and  like  the  Israelites  of  old,  who  troil 
dry-foot  an  unfrequented  path  whilst  the  ark  of  the  cove- 
nant stood  some  time  on  the  sands  in  the  midst  of  Jordan  ; 
so  also  the  martyr,  with  a  thousand  others,  opened  a  path 
across  the  noble  river  Thames,  whose  waters  stood  abrupt 
like  precipices  on  either  side ;  and  seeing  this,  the  first  of 
his  executors  was  stricken  with  awe,  and  from  a  wolf  became 
a  lamb  ;  so  that  he  thirsted  for  martyrdom,  and  boldly  un- 
derwent that  for  which  he  thirsted.  The  other  holy  martyrs 
were  tormented  with  divers  sufferings,  and  their  limbs  were 
racked  in  such  unheard  of  ways,  that  they,  without  delay, 
erected  the  trophies  of  their  glorious  martyrdom  even  in  the 
*  Or  Caerleon.    See  Bede's  Eccles.  Hist  p.  15,  note. 


304  THE  WORKS   OF   GILDAS.  [sxc  12. 1* 

gates  of  the  city  of  Jerusalem.  For  those  who  survived, 
hid  themselves  in  woods  and  deserts,  and  secret  caves, 
waiting  until  God,  who  is  the  righteous  judge  of  all,  should 
reward  their  persecutors  with  judgment,  and  themselves  with 
protection  of  their  lives. 

§  12.  In  less  than  ten  years,  therefore,  of  the  above- 
named  persecution,  and  when  these  bloody  decrees  began  to 
fail  in  consequence  of  the  death  of  their  authors,  all  Christ's 
young  disciples,  after  so  long  and  wintry  a  night,  begin  to 
behold  the  genial  light  of  heaven.  They  rebuild  the 
churches,  which  had  been  levelled  to  the  ground ;  they 
found,  erect,  and  finish  churches  to  the  holy  martyrs,  and 
everywhere  show  their  ensigns  as  token  of  their  victory ; 
festivals  are  celebrated  and  sacraments  received  with  clean 
hearts  and  lips,  and  all  the  church's  sons  rejoice  as  it  were 
in  the  fostering  bosom  of  a  mother.  For  this  holy  union 
remained  between  Christ  their  head  and  the  members  of  his 
church,  until  the  Arian  treason,  fatal  as  a  serpent,  and  vomiting 
its  poison  from  beyond  the  sea,  caused  deadly  dissension  be- 
tween brothers  inhabiting  the  same  house,  and  thus,  as  if  a  road 
were  made  across  the  sea,  like  wild  beasts  of  all  descriptions, 
and  darting  the  poison  of  every  heresy  from  their  jaws,  they 
inflicted  dreadful  wounds  upon  their  country,  which  is  ever 
desirous  to  hear  something  new,  and  remains  constant  long 
to  nothing. 

§  13.  At  length  also,  new  races  of  tyrants  sprang  up,  in 
terrific  numbers,  and  the  island,  still  bearing  its  Roman 
name,  but  casting  off  her  institutes  and  laws,  sent  forth 
among  the  Gauls  that  bitter  scion  of  her  own  planting 
Maximus,  with  a  great  number  of  followers,  and  the  ensigns 
of  royalty,  which  he  bore  without  decency  and  without  law- 
ful right,  but  in  a  tyrannical  manner,  and  amid  the  disturb- 
ances of  the  seditious  soldiery.  He,  by  cunning  arts  rather 
than  by  valour,  attaching  to  his  rule,  by  perjury  and  false- 
hood, all  the  neighbouring  towns  and  provinces,  against  the 
Roman  state,  extended  one  of  his  wings  to  Spain,  the  other 
to  Italy,  fixed  the  seat  of  his  unholy  goyernment  at  Treves! 
and  so  furiously  pushed  his  rebellion  against  his  lawful 
emperors  that  he  drove  one  of  them  out  of  Rome,  and  caused 
the  other  to  terminate  his  most  holy  life.  Trusting  to  these 
successful  attempts,  he  not  long  after  lost  his  accursed  head 


sec.  14-17.]  DESTITUTE   STATE  OP  BKITAIN.  305 

before  the  walls  of  Aquileia,  whereas  he  had  before  cut  off 
the  crowned  heads  of  almost  all  the  world. 

§  14.  After  this,  Britain  is  left  deprived  of  all  her  soldiery 
and  armed  bands,  of  her  cruel  governors,  and  of  the  flower 
of  her  youth,  who  went  with  Maximus,  but  never  again  re- 
turned ;  and  utterly  ignorant  as  she  was  of  the  art  of  war, 
groaned  in  amazement  for  many  years  under  the  cruelty  of 
two  foreign  nations — the  Scots  from  the  north-west,  and  the 
Picts  from  the  north.  ' 

§  15.  The  Britons,  impatient  at  the  assaults  of  the  Scots 
and  Picts,  their  hostilities  and  dreadful  oppressions,  send  am- 
bassadors to  Rome  with  letters,  entreating  in  piteous  terms 
the  assistance  of  an  armed  band  to  protect  them,  and  offering 
loyal  and  ready  submission  to  the  authority  of  Rome,  if  they 
only  would  expel  their  invading  foes.  A  legion  is  imme- 
diately sent,  forgetting  their  past  rebellion,  and  provided 
sufficiently  with  arms.  When  they  had  crossed  over  the  sea 
and  landed,  they  came  at  once  to  close  conflict  with  their 
cruel  enemies,  and  slew  great  numbers  of  them.  All  of 
them  were  driven  beyond  the  borders,  and  the  humiliated 
natives  rescued  from  the  bloody  slavery  which  awaited  them. 
By  the  advice  of  their  protectors,  they  now  built  a  wall 
across  the  island  from  one  sea  to  the  other,  which  being 
manned  with  a  proper  force,  might  be  a  terror  to  the  foes 
whom  it  was  intended  to  repel,  and  a  protection  to  their 
friends  whom  it  covered.  But  this  wall,  being  made  of  turf 
instead  of  stone,  was  of  no  use  to  that  foolish  people,  who 
had  no  head  to  guide  them. 

§  16.  The  Roman  legion  had  no  sooner  returned  home  in 
joy  and  triumph,  than  their  former  foes,  like  hungry  and 
ravening  wolves,  rushing  with  greedy  jaws  upon  the  fold 
which  is  left  without  a  shepherd,  and  wafted  both  by  tho 
strength  of  oarsmen  and  the  blowing  wind,  break  through 
the  boundaries,  and  spread  slaughter  on  every  side,  and  like 
mowers  cutting  down  the  ripe  corn,  they  cut  up,  tread  under 
foot,  and  overrun  the  whole  country. 

§  17.  And  now  again  they  send  suppliant  ambassadors, 
with  their  garments  rent  and  their  heads  covered  with  ashes, 
imploring  assistance  from  the  Romans,  and  like  timorous 
chickens,  crowding  under  the  protecting  wings  of  their 
parents,  that  their  wretched  country  might  not  altogether  be 


306  THE  WORKS  OF  GILDAS.  [sac.  18L 

destroyed,  and  that  the  Roman  name,  which  now  was  but 
an  empty  sound  to  nil  the  ear,  might  not  become  a  reproach 
even  to  distant  nations.  Upon  this,  the  Romans,  moved 
with  compassion*  as  far  as  human  nature  can  be,  at  the 
relations  of  such  horrors,  send  forward,  like  eagles  in  their 
flight,  their  unexpected  bands  of  cavalry  by  land  and  mari- 
ners by  sea,  and  planting  their  terrible  swords  upon  the 
shoulders  of  their  enemies,  they  mow  them  down  like  leaves 
which  fall  at  the  destined  period  ;  and  as  a  mountain-torrent 
swelled  with  numerous  streams,  and  bursting  its  banks  with 
roaring  noise,  with  foaming  crest  and  yeasty  wave  rising  to, 
the  stars,  by  whose  eddying  currents  our  eyes  are  as  it  were 
dazzled,  does  with  one  of  its  billows  overwhelm  every  obstacle 
in  its  way,  so  did  our  illustrious  defenders  vigorously  drive 
our  enemies'  band  beyond  the  sea,  if  any  could  so  escape  them ; 
for  it  was  beyond  those  same  seas  that  they  transported,  year 
after  year,  the  plunder  which  they  had  gained,  no  one  daring 
to  resist  them. 

§  18.  The  Romans,  therefore,  left  the  country,  giving 
notice  that  they  could  no  longer  be  harassed  by  such 
laborious  expeditions,  nor  suffer  the  Roman  standards,  with  - 
so  large  and  brave  an  army,  to  be  worn  out  by  sea  and  land 
by  fighting  against  these  unwarlike,  plundering  vagabonds  ; 
hut  that  the  islanders,  inuring  themselves  to  warlike  weapons, 
;ind  bravely  fighting,  should  valiantly  protect  their  country, 
their  property,  wives  and  children,  and,  what  is  dearer  than 
these,  their  liberty  and  lives ;  that  they  should  not  suffer 
their  hands  to  be  tied  behind  their  backs  by  a  nation  which, 
unless  they  were  enervated  by  idleness  and  sloth,  was  not 
more  powerful  than  themselves,  but  that  they  should  arm 
those  hands  with  buckler,  sword,  and  spear,  ready  for  the 
field  of  battle ;  and,  because  they  thought  this  also  of 
advantage  to  the  people  they  were  about  to  leave,  they,, 
with  the  help  of  the  miserable  natives,  built  a  wall  different\ 
from  the  former,  by  public  and  private  contributions,  and  1 
of  the  same  structure  as  walls  generally,  extending  in  a 
straight  line  from  sea  to  sea,  between  some  cities,  which, 
from  fear  of  their  enemies,  had  there  by  chance  been  built 
They  then  give  energetic  counsel  to  the  timorous  natives, 
and  leave  them  patterns  by  which  to  manufacture  arms. 
Moreover,  on  the  south  coast  where  their  vessels  lay,  as 


«sc.  10,20.]  INVASION  OP  PICTS  AND   SCOTS.  SOT 

there  was  some  apprehension  lest  the  barbarians  might 
land,  they  erected  towers  at  stated  intervals,  commanding 
a  prospect  of  the  sea;  and  then  left  the  island  never  to 
return. 

§  19.  No  sooner  were  they  gone,  than  the  Picts  and  Scots, 
like  worms  which  in  the  heat  of  mid-day  come  forth  from 
their  holes,  hastily  land  again  from  their  canoes,  in  which 
they  had  been  carried  beyond  the  Cichican  *  valley,  differing 
one  from  another  in  manners,  but  inspired  with  the  same 
avidity  for  blood,  and  all  more  eager  to  shroud  their  villainous 
faces  in  bushy  hair  than  to  cover  with  decent  clothing  those 
parts  of  their  body  which  required  it.  Moreover,  having 
heard  of  the  departure  of  our  friends,  and  their  resolution 
never  to  return,  they  seized  with  greater  boldness  than  before 
on  all  the  country  towards  the  extreme  north  as  far  as  the 
wall.  To  oppose  them  there  was  placed  on  the  heights  a 
garrison  equally  slow  to  fight  and  ill  adapted  to  run  away,  a 
useless  and  panic-struck  company,  who  slumbered  away 
days  and  nights  on  their  unprofitable  watch.  Meanwhile 
the  hooked  weapons  of  their  enemies  were  not  idle,  and  our 
wretched  countrymen  were  dragged  from  the  wall  and  dashed 
against  the  ground.  Such  premature  death,  however,  painful 
as  it  was,  saved  them  from  seeing  the  miserable  sufferings  of 
their  brothers  and  children.  But  why  should  I  say  more  ? 
They  left  their  cities,  abandoned  the  protection  of  the  wall, 
and  dispersed  themselves  in  flight  more  desperately  than 
before.  The  enemy,  on  the  other  hand,  pursued  them  with 
more  unrelenting  cruelty  than  before,  and  butchered  our 
countrymen  like  sheep,  so  that  their  habitations  were  like 
those  of  savage  beasts;  for  they  turned  their  arms  upon 
each  other,  and  for  the  sake  of  a  little  sustenance,  imbrued 
their  hands  in  the  blood  of  their  fellow  countrymen.  Thus 
foreign  calamities  were  augmented  by  domestic  feuds;  so 
that  the  whole  country  was  entirely  destitute  of  provisions, 
save  such  as  could  be  procured  in  the  chase. 

§  20.  Again,  therefore,  the  wretched  remnant,  sending  to 
JEtius,  a  powerful  Roman  citizen,  address  him  as  follows: — 
"  To  iEtius,t  now  consul  for  the  third  time :  the  groans  of 

*  The  meaning  of  this  expression  is  not  known.  O'Connor  thinks  it  is 
the  Irish  Sea. 

f  Or  Agitius,  according  to  another  reading. 

x  2 


308  THE    WORKS   OP   GILDAS.  [tzati* 

the  Britons."  And  again  a  little  further,  thus: — "The 
barbarians  drive  us  to  the  sea;  the  sea  throws  us  back 
on  the  barbarians :  thus  two  modes  of  death  await  us,  we 
are  either  slain  or  drowned."  The  Romans,  however,  could 
not  assist  them,  and  in  the  meantime  the  discomfited  people, 
wandering  in  the  woods,  began  to  feel  the  effects  of  a  severe 
famine,  which  compelled  many  of  them  without  delay  to 
yield  themselves  up  to  their  cruel  persecutors,  to  obtain 
subsistence:  others  of  them,  however,  lying  hid  in  moun- 
tains, caves,  and  woods,  continually  sallied  out  from  thence 
to  renew  the  war.  And  then  it  was,  for  the  first  time,  that 
they  overthrew  their  enemies,  who  had  for  so  many  years 
been  living  in  their  country ;  for  their  trust  was  not  in  man, 
but  in  God ;  according  to  the  maxim  of  Philo,  "  We  must 
have  divine  assistance,  when  that  of  man  fails."  The  bold- 
ness of  the  enemy  was  for  a  while  checked,  but  not  the 
wickedness  of  our  countrymen :  the  enemy  left  our  people, 
but  the  people  did  not  leave  their  sins. 

§  21.  For  it  has  always  been  a  custom  with  our  nation,  as 
it  is  at  present,  to  be  impotent  in  repelling  foreign  foes,  but 
bold  and  invincible  in  raising  civil  war,  and  bearing  the 
burdens  of  their  offences:  they  are  impotent,  I  say,  in 
following  the  standard  of  peace  and  truth,  but  bold  in 
wickedness  and  falsehood.  The  audacious  invaders  there- 
fore return  to  their  winter  quarters,  determined  before  long 
again  to  return  and  plunder*  And  then,  too,  the  Picts  for 
the  first  time  seated  themselves  at  the  extremity  of  the  island, 
where  they  afterwards  continued,  occasionally  plundering  and 
wasting  the  country.  During  these  truces,  the  wounds  of 
the  distressed  people  are  healed,  but  another  Sore,  still  more 
venomous,  broke  out.  No  sooner  were  the  ravages  of  the 
enemy  checked,  than  the  island  was  deluged  with  a  most 
extraordinary  plenty  of  all  things,  greater  than  was  before 
known,  and  with  it  grew  up  every  kind  of  luxury  and 
licentiousness.  It  grew  with  so  firm  a  root,  that  one  might 
truly  say  of  it,  "  Such  fornication  is  heard  of  among  you,  as 
never  was  known  the  like  among  the  Gentiles."  But  besides 
this  vice,  there  arose  also  every  other,  to  which  human  nature 
ip  liable,  and  in  particular  that  hatred  of  truth,  together  with 
her  supporters,  which  still  at  present  destroys  every  thing 
good  in  the  island ;  the  love  of  falsehood,  together  with  itt 


6EC.J2.]  VICES   OP   THE    BRITONS.  309 

inventors,  the  reception  of  crime  in  the  place  of  virtue,  the- 
respect  shown  to  wickedness  rather  than  goodness,  the  love 
of  darkness  instead  of  the  sun,  the  admission  of  Satan  as  an 
angel  of  light.  Kings  were  anointed,  not  according  to  God's 
ordinance,  but  such  as  showed  themselves  more  cruel  than 
the  rest ;  and  soon  after,  they  were  put  to  death  by  those 
who  had  elected  them,  without  any  inquiry  into  their  merits, 
but  because  others  still  more  cruel  were  chosen  to  succeed 
them.  If  any  one  of  these  was  of  a  milder  nature  than  the 
rest,  or  in  any  way  more  regardful  of  the  truth,  he  was 
looked  upon  as  the  ruiner  of  the  country,  every  body  cast  a 
dart  at  him,  and  they  valued  things  alike  whether  pleasing 
or  displeasing  to  God,  unless  it  so  happened  that  what  dis- 
pleased him  was  pleasing  to  themselves.  So  that  the  words 
of  the  prophet,  addressed  to  the  people  of  old,  might  well  be 
applied  to  our  own  countrymen :  "  Children  without  a  law, 
have  ye  left  God  and  provoked  to  anger  the  holy  one  of 
Israel  ?  *  Why  will  ye  still  inquire,  adding  iniquity  ? 
Every  head  is  languid  and  every  heart  is  sad;  from  the 
sole  of  the  foot  to  the  crown,  there  is  no  health  in  him." 
And  thus  they  did  all  things  contrary  to  their  salvation,  as 
if  no  remedy  could  be  applied  to  the  world  by  the  true 
Physician  of  all  men.  Aid  not  only  the  laity  did  so,  but 
our  Lord's  own  flock  and  its  shepherds,  who  ought  to  have 
been  an  example  to  the  people,  slumbered  away  their  time  in 
drunkenness,  as  if  they  had  been  dipped  in  wine ;  whilst  the 
swellings  of  pride,  the  jar  of  strife,  the  griping  talons  of  envy, 
and  the  confused  estimate  of  right  and  wrong,  got  such  entire 
possession  of  them,  that  there  seemed  to  be  poured  out  (and 
the  same  still  continueth)  contempt  upon  princes,  and  to 
be  made  by  their  vanities  to  wander  astray  and  not  in  the 
way. 

§  22.  Meanwhile,  God  being  willing  to  purify  his  family 
who  were  infected  by  so  deep  a  stain  of  woe,  and  at  the 
hearing  only  of  their  calamities  to  amend  them;  a  vague 
rumour  suddenly  as  if  on  wings  reaches  the  ears  of  all,  that 
their  inveterate  foes  were  rapidly  approaching  to  destroy  the 

*  Isa.  i.  4,  5.    In  most  of  these  quotations  there  is  great  verbal  variation   . 
from  the  authorised  version :  the  author  probably  quoted  from  memory,  if 
not  from  the  Latin  version. 


310  tHE   WORKS  OF   GILDAS.  [sk.23. 

whole  country,  and  to  take  possession  of  it,  as  of  old,  from  : 
one  end  to  the  other*  But  yet  they  derived  no  advantage 
from  this  intelligence ;  for,  like  frantic  beasts,  taking  the  bit 
of  reason  between  their  teeth,  they  abandoned  the  safe  and 
narrow  road,  and  rushed  forward  upon  the  broad  downward 
path  of  vice,  which  leads  to  death.  Whilst,  therefore,  as 
Solomon  says,  the  stubborn  servant  is  not  cured  by  words, 
the  fool  is  scourged  and  feels  it  not :  a  pestilential  disease 
mortally  affected  the  foolish  people,  which*  without  the 
sword,  cut  off  so  large  a  number  of  persons,  that  the  living 
were  not  able  to  bury  them*  But  even  this  was  no  warning 
to  them,  that  in  them  also  might  be  fulfilled  the  words  of 
Isaiah  the  prophet,  "And  God  hath  called  his  people  to 
lamentation,  to  baldness,  and  to  the  girdle  of  sackcloth; 
behold  they  begin  to  kill  calves,  and  to  slay  rams,  to  eat,  to 
drink,  and  to  say,  '  We  will  eat  and  drink,  for  to-morrow  we 
shall  die.' "  For  the  time  was  approaching,  when  all  their 
iniquities,  as  formerly  those  of  the  Amorrhseans,  should  be 
fulfilled.  For  a  council  was  called  to  settle  what  was  best 
and  most  expedient  to  be  done,  in  order  to  repel  such 
frequent  and  fatal  irruptions  and  plunderings  of  the  above- 
named  nations. 

§  23.  Then  all  the  councillors,  together  with  that  proud  tyrant  \ 
Gurthrigern  [Vortigern],  the  British  king,  were  so  blinded,  / 
that,  as  a  protection  to  their  country,  they  sealed  its  doom  by 
inviting  in  among  them  (like  Wolves  into  the  sheep-fold),  thai 
fierce  and  impious^  Saxons,  a  race  hateful  both  to  God  and  » 
men,  ^  _^jg^o  jnyn«Aji^^_jhg  pflrfTipyj]  T^frfciAng     No- 
thing was  ever  so  pernicious  to  our  country,  nothing  was 
ever  so  unlucky.     What  palpable  darkness  must  have  enve- 
loped their  minds — darkness  desperate  and  cruel!     Those 
very  people  whom,  when  absent,  they  dreaded  more  than 
death  itself,  were  invited  to  reside,  as  one  may  say*  under 
the  selfsame  roof.     Foolish  are  the  princes,  as  it  is  said,  of 
Thafneos,  giving  counsel  to  unwise  Pharaoh.    A  multitude 
of  whelps  came  forth  from  the  lair  of  this  barbaric  lioness, 
in  three  cyuls,  as  they  call  them,  that  is,  in  three  ships  of 
war,  with  their  sails  wafted  by  the  wind  and  with  omens  and 
prophecies  favourable,  for  it  was  foretold  by  a  certain  sooth- 
sayer among  them,  that  they  should  occupy  the  country  to 
which  they  Were  sailing  three  hundred  years*  and  half  of 


sbc.  24.]  CALAMITOUS  STATE  OP  BRITAIN.  31 1 

that  time,  a  hundred  and  fifty  years,  should  plunder  and 
despoil  the  same.  They  first  landed  on  the  eastern  side  of 
the  island,  by  the  invitation  of  the  unlucky  king,  and  there 
fixed  their  sharp  talons,  apparently  to  fight  in  favour  of  the 
island,  but  alas !  more  truly  against  it.  Their  mother-land, 
finding  her  first  brood  thus  successful,  sends  forth  a  larger 
company  of  her  wolfish  offspring,  which  sailing  over,  join 
themselves  to  their  bastard-born  comrades.  From  that  time 
the  germ  of  iniquity  and  the  root  of  contention  planted 
their  poison  amongst  us,  as  we  deserved,  and  shot  forth  into 
leaves  and  branches.  The  barbarians  being  thus  introduced 
as  soldiers  into  the  island,  to  encounter,  as  they  falsely  said, 
any  dangers  in  defence  of  their  hospitable  entertainers,  ob- 
tain an  allowance  of  provisions,  which,  for  some  time  being 
plentifully  bestowed,  stopped  their  doggish  mouths.  Yet 
they  complain  that  their  monthly  supplies  are  not  furnished 
in  sufficient  abundance,  and  they  industriously  aggravate 
each  occasion  of  quarrel)  saying  that  unless  more  liberality 
is  shown  them,  they  will  break  the  treaty  and  plunder  the 
whole  island.  In  a  short  time,  they  follow  up  their  threats 
with  deeds. 

§  24.  For  the  fire  of  vengeance,  justly  kindled  by  former 
crimes,  spread  from  sea  to  sea,  fed  by  the  hands  of  our  foes 
in  the  east,  and  did  not  cease,  until,  destroying  the  neigh- 
bouring towns  and  lands,  it  reached  the  other  side  of  the 
island,  and  dipped  its  red  and  savage  tongue  in  the  western 
ocean.  In  these  assaults,  therefore,  not  unlike  that  of  the 
Assyrian  upon  Judea,  was  fulfilled  in  our  case  what  the  pro- 
phet describes  in  words  of  lamentation :  "  They  have  burned 
with  fire  the  sanctuary;  they  have  polluted  on  earth  the 
tabernacle  of  thy  name."  And  again,  "  O  God,  the  gentiles 
have  come  into  thine  inheritance ;  thy  holy  temple  have  they 
defiled,"  &c.  So  that  all  the  columns  were  levelled  with 
the  ground  by  the  frequent  strokes  of  the  battering-ram,  all 
the  husbandmen  routed,  together  with  their  bishops,  priests, 
and  people,  whilst  the  sword  gleamed,  and  the  flames 
crackled  around  them  on  every  side.  Lamentable  to  behold, 
in  the  midst  of  the  streets  lay  the  tops  of  lofty  towers, 
tumbled  to  the  ground,  stones  of  high  walls,  holy  altars, 
fragments  of  human  bodies,  covered  with  livid  clots  of  coagu- 
lated blood,  looking  as  if  they  had  been  squeezed  together  in 


312  THE  WORKS  OF  GILDAS.  [an.  85. 

a  press  ;*  and  with  no  chance  of  being  buried,  save  in  the 
ruins  of  the  houses,  or  in  the  ravening  bellies  of  wild  beasts 
and  birds;  with  reverence  be  it  spoken  for  their  blessed 
souls,  if,  indeed,  there  were  many  found  who  were  carried, 
at  that  time,  into  the  high  heaven  by  the  holy  angels.  So 
entirely  had  the  vintage,  once  so  fine,  degenerated  and  be- 
come bitter,  that,  in  the  words  of  the  prophet,  there  was 
hardly  a  grape  or  ear  of  corn  to  be  seen  where  the  husband- 
man had  turned  his  back. 

§  25.  Some,  therefore,  of  the  miserable  remnant,  being 
taken  in  the  mountains,  were  murdered  in  great  numbers  ,• 
others,  constrained  by  famine,  came  and  yielded  themselves 
to  be  slaves  for  ever  to  their  foes,  running  the  risk  of  being 
instantly  slain,  which  truly  was  the  greatest  favour  that 
could  be  offered  them :  some  others  passed  beyond  the  seas 
with  loud  lamentations  instead  of  the  voice  of  exhortation. 
"  Thou  hast  given  us  as  sheep  to  be  slaughtered,  and  among 
the  Gentiles  hast  thou  dispersed  us."  Others,  committing 
the  safeguard  of  their  lives,  which  were  in  continual  jeopardy, 
to  the  mountains,  precipices,  thickly  wooded  forests,  and 
to  the  rocks  of  the  seas  (albeit  with  trembling  hearts), 
remained  still  in  their  country.  But  in  the  meanwhile,  an 
opportunity  happening,  when  these  most  cruel  robbers  were 
returned  home,  the  poor  remnants  of  our  nation  (to  whom 
flocked  from  divers  places  round  about  our  miserable  coun- 
trymen as  fast  as  bees  to  their  hives^  for  fear  of  an  ensuing 
storm),  being  strengthened  by  God,  calling  upon  him  with 
all  their  hearts,  as  the  poet  says, — 

*  With  their  unnumbered  vows  they  burden  heaven," 

that  they  might  not  be  brought  to  utter  destruction,  took 
arms  under  the  conduct  of  Ambrosius  Aurelianus,  a  modest 
man,  who  of  all  the  Roman  nation  was  then  alone  in  the 
confusion  of  this  troubled  period  by  chance  left  alive.  His 
parents,  who  for  their  merit*  were  adorned  with  the  purple, 
had  been  slain  in  these  same  broils,  and  now  his  progeny  in 
these  our  days,  although  shamefully  degenerated  from  the 
worthiness  of  their  ancestors,  provoke  to  battle  their  cruel 

*  These  are  the  words  of  the  old  translation  ;  the  original  is  obscure, 
aac}  perhaps  corrupt. 


sec.  26.]  SIEGE   OF   BATH-HILL.  313 

conquerors,   and  by  the  goodness  of  our  Lord  obtain  the 
victory. 

§  26.  After  this,  sometimes  our  countrymen,  sometimes 
the  enemy,  won  the  field,  to  the  end  that  our  Lord  might  in 
this  land  try  after  his  accustomed  manner  these  his  Israelites,  ; 
whether  they  loved  him  or  not,  until  the  year  of  the  siege  of 
Bath-hill,  when  took  place  also  the  last  almost,  though  not 
the  least  slaughter  of  our  cruel  foes,  which  was  (as  I  am 
sure)  forty-four  years  and  one  month  after  the  landing  of  the 
Saxons,  and  also  the  time  of  my  own  nativity.  And  yet 
neither  to  this  day  are  the  cities  of  our  country  inhabited  as 
before,  but  being  forsaken  and  overthrown,  still  lie  desolate ; 
our  foreign  wars  having  ceased,  but  our  civil  troubles  still 
remaining.  For  as  well  the  remembrance  of  such  a  terrible 
desolation  of  the  island,  as  also  of  the  unexpected  recovery 
of  the  same,  remained  in  the  minds  of  those  who  were  eye* 
witnesses  of  the  wonderful  events  of  both,  and  in  regard 
thereof,  kings,  public  magistrates,  and  private  persons,  with 
priests  and  clergymen,  did  all  and  every  one  of  them  live 
orderly  according  to  their  several  vocations.  But  when 
these  had  departed  out  of  this  world,  and  a  new  race  sue*  - 
ceeded,  whp  were  ignorant  of  this  troublesome  time,  and  had 
only  experience  of  the  present  prosperity,  all  the  laws  of 
truth  and  justice  were  so  shaken  and  subverted,  that  not  so 
much  as  a  vestige  or  remembrance  of  these  virtues  remained 
among  the  above-named  orders  of  men,  except  among  a  very 
few  who,  compared  with  the  great  multitude  which  were 
daily  rushing  headlong  down  to  hell,  are  accounted  so  small 
a  number,  that  our  reverend  mother,  the  church,  scarcely 
beholds  them,  her  only  true  children,  reposing  in  her  bosom ; 
whose  worthy  lives,  being  a  pattern  to  all  men,  and  beloved 
of  God,  inasmuch  as  by  their  holy  prayers,  as  by  certain 
pillars  and  most  profitable  supporters,  our  infirmity  is  sus- 
tained up,  that  it  may  not  utterly  be  broken  down,  I  would 
have  no  one  suppose  I  intended  to  reprove,  if  forced  by  the 
increasing  multitude  of  offences,  I  have  freely,  aye,  with  an- 
guish, not  so  much  declared  as  bewailed  the  wickedness  of 
those  who  are  become  servants,  not  only  to  their  bellies,  but 
also  tp  the  devil  rather  than  to  Christ,  who  is  our  blessed 
God,  world  without  end. 

For  why  shall  their  countrymen  conceal  what  foreign  na- 


314  THE  WORKS  OF  GILD  AS.  L«c  17,  28. 

tions  round  about  now  not  only  know,  but  also  continually 
are  casting  in  their  teeth  ? 


T~ 


III.  THE  EPISTLE. 


§  27.  Britain  has  kings,  but  they  are  tyrants ;  she  has 
judges,  but  unrighteous  ones  ;  generally  engaged  in  plunder 
and  rapine,  but  always  preying  on  the  innocent  \  whenever 
they  exert  themselves  to  avenge  or  protect,  it  is  sure  to  be 
in  favour  of  robbers  and  criminals  ;  they  have  an  abundance 
of  wives,  yet  are  they  addicted  to  fornication  and  adultery  ; 
they  are  ever  ready  to  take  oaths,  and  as  often  perjure 
themselves ;  they  make  a  vow  and  almost  immediately  act 
falsely;  they  make  war,  but  their  wars  are  against  their 
countrymen,  and  are  unjust  ones ;  they  rigorously  prosecute 
thieves  throughout  their  country,  but  those  who  sit  at  table 
with  them  are  robbers,  and  they  not  only  cherish  but  reward 
them ;  they  give  alms  plentifully,  but  in  contrast  to  this  is  a 
whole  pile  of  crimes  which  they  have  committed ;  they  sit 
on  the  seat  of  justice,  but  rarely  seek  for  the  rule  of  right 
judgment;  they  despise  the  innocent  and  the  humble,  but 
seize  every  occasion  of  exalting  to  the  utmost  the  bloody- 
minded  ;  the  proud,  murderers,  the  combined  and  adulterers, 
enemies  of  God,  who  ought  to  be  utterly  destroyed  and  their 
names  forgotten. 

They  have  many  prisoners  in  their  gaols,  loaded  with 
chains,  but  this  is  done  in  treachery  rather  than  in  just 
punishment  for  crimes;  and  when  they  have  stood  before 
the  altar,  swearing  by  the  name  of  God,  they  go  away  and 
think  no  more  of  the  holy  altar  than  if  it  were  a  mere  heap 
of  dirty  stones. 

§  28.  Of  this  horrid  abomination,  Constantino,*  the 
tyrannical  whelp  of  the  unclean  lioness  of  Damnonia,t  ** 
not  ignorant. 

This  same  year,  after  taking  a  dreadful  oath  (whereby  he 

*  Probably  Cystennyn  of  the  Bards.  Constantino  is  a  name  often 
occurring  in  the  British  royal  families.  The  Constantino  of  Gfldffl  is 
supposed  to  have  been  king  of  Cornwall,  who  abdicated  his  throne,  and 
afterwards  preached  the  gospel  to  the  Picts  and  Scots.  Some  account  of 
him  will  be  found  in  the  Aberdeen  Breviary,  in  the  Acta  Sanctorum,  March, 
vol  ii.  p.  64,  and  in  Whitaker's  Cathedral  of  Cornwall,  i.  325v 

+  The  present  counties  of  Devon  and  Cornwall 


tec  20.]  GILDAS  BEPBOVES  CONSTAKTINE.  815 

bound  himself  first  before  God,  by  a  solemn  protestation,  and 
then  called  all  the  saints,  and  Mother  of  God,  to  witness, 
that  he  would  not  contrive  any  deceit  against  his  country* 
men),  he  nevertheless,  in  the  habit  of  a  holy  abbat  amid  the 
sacred  altars,  did  with  sword  and  javelin,  as  if  with  teeth* 
wound  and  tear,  even  in  the  bosoms  of  their  temporal 
mother,  and  of  the  church  their  spiritual  mother,  two  royal 
youths,  with  their  two  attendants,  whose  arms,  although  not 
cased  in  armour*  were  yet  boldly  used,  and,  stretched  out 
towards  God  and  his  altar,  will  hang  up  at  the  gates  of  thy 
city,  O  Christ,  the  venerable  ensigns  of  their  faith  and 
patience;  and  when  he  had  done  it,  the  cloaks,  red  with 
coagulated  blood,  did  touch  the  place  of  the  heavenly 
sacrifice.  And  not  one  worthy  act  could  he  boast  of  pre- 
vious to  this  cruel  deed;  for  many  years  before  he  had 
stained  himself  with  the  abomination  of  many  adulteries, 
having  put  away  his  wife  contrary  to  the  command  of 
Christ,  the  teacher  of  the  world,  who  hath  said:  "What 
God  hath  joined  together,  let  not  man  separate,*  and  again : 
"  Husbands*  love  your  wives.**  For  he  had  planted  in  the 
ground  of  his  heart  (an  unfruitful  soil  for  any  good  seed)  a 
bitter  scion  of  incredulity  and  folly,  taken  from  the  Tine  of 
Sodom,  which  being  watered  with  his  vulgar  and  domestic 
impieties,  like  poisonous  showers,  and  afterwards  audaciously 
springing  up  to  .the  offence  of  God,  brought  forth  into  the 
world  the  sin  of  horrible  murder  and  sacrilege ;  and  not  yet 
discharged  from  the  entangling  nets  of  his  former  offences, 
he  added  new  wickedness  to  the  former. 

§  29.  Go  to  now,  I  reprove  thee  as  present,  whom  I 
know  as  yet  to  be  in  this  life  extant.  Why  standest  thou 
astonished,  O  thou  butcher  of  thine  owxr  soul  ?  Why  dost 
thou  wilfully  kindle  against  thyself  the  eternal  fires  of  hell  ? 
Why  dost  thou,  in  place  of  enemies,  desperately  stab  thyself 
with  thine  own  sword,  with  thine  own  javelin  ?  Cannot 
those  same  poisonous  cups  of  offences  yet  satisfy  thy 
stomach  ?  Look  back  (I  beseech  thee)  and  come  to  Christ 
(for  thou  labourest,  and  art  pressed  down  to  the  earth  with 
this  huge  burden),  and  he  himself,  as  he  said,  will  give 
thee  rest.  Come  to  him  who  wisheth  not  the  death  of  a 
sinner,  but  that  he  should  be  rather  converted  and  live. 
Unloose  (according  to  the  prophet)  the  bands  of  thy  neck) 


316  THE   WORKS  07   GILDAS.  [skg.30,51. 

O  thou  son  of  Sion.  Return  (I  pray  thee),  although  from 
the  far  remote  regions  of  sins,  unto  the  most  holy  Father, 
who,  for  his  son  that  will  despise  the  filthy  food  of  swine, 
and  fear  a  death  of  cruel  famine,  and  so  come  back  to  him 
again,  hath  with  great  joy  been  accustomed  to  kill  his  fatted 
calf,  and  bring  forth  for  the  wanderer,  the  first  robe  and 
royal  ring,  and  then  taking  as  it  were  a  taste  of  the  heavenly 
hope,  thou  shalt  perceive  how  sweet  our  Lord  is.  For  if 
thou  dost  contemn  these,  be  thou  assured,  thou  shalt  almost 
instantly  be  tossed  and  tormented  in  the  inevitable  and  dark 
floods  of  endless  fire. 

j       §  30.   What  dost  thou  also,  thou  lion's  whelp  (as  the 
?r     i  prophet  saith),  Aurelius  Conanus  ?*     Art  not  thou  as  the 

\  former  (if  not  far  more  foul)  to  thy  utter  destruction, 
swallowed  up  in  the  filthiness  of  horrible  murders,  forni- 
cations, and  adulteries,  as  by  an  overwhelming  flood  of  the 
sea  ?  Hast  not  thou  by  hating,  as  a  deadly  serpent,  the 
peace  of  thy  country,  and  thirsting  unjustly  after  civil  wars 
and  frequent  spoil,  shut  the  gates  of  heavenly  peace  and 
repose  against  thine  own  soul  ?  Being  now  left  alone  as  a  - 
withering  tree  in  the  midst  of  a  field,  remember  (I  beseech 
thee)  the  vain  and  idle  fancies  of  thy  parents  and  brethren, 
together  with  the  untimely  death  that  befell  them  in  the 
prime  of  their  youth;  and  shalt  thou,  for  thy  religious 
deserts,  be  reserved  out  of  all  thy  family  to  live  a  hundred 
years,  or  to  attain  to  the  age  of  a  Methusalem  ?  No,  surely, 
but  unless  (as  the  psalmist  saith)  thou  shalt  be  speedily 
converted  unto  our  Lord,  that  King  will  shortly  brandish  his 
sword  against  thee,  who  hath  said  by  his  prophet,  "  I  will 
kill,  and  I  will  cause  to  live ;  I  will  strike,  and  I  will  heal ; 
and  there  is  no  one  who  can  deliver  out  of  my  hand."  Be 
thou  therefore  shaken  out  of  thy  filthy  dust,  and  with  all 
thy  heart  converted  to  Him  who  hath  created  thee,  that 
"when  his  wrath  shall  shortly  burn  out,  thou  mayst  be 
blessed  by  fixing  thy  hopes  on  him."  But  if  otherwise, 
eternal  pains  will  be  heaped  up  for  thee,  where  thou  shalt  be 
ever  tormented  and  never  consumed  in  the  cruel  jaws  of  helL 
§  31.  Thou  also,  who  like  to  the  spotted  leopard,  art 
diverse  in  manners  and  in  mischief,  whose  head  now  is 
growing  grey,  who  art  seated  on  a  throne  full  of  deceits,  and 
•  King  of  Powisland,  which  for  some  time  formed  a  distinct  1 


8*c.32.]  CT7NEGLASSB  REPROVED.  317 

from  the  bottom  even  to  the  top  art  stained  with  murder  and 
adulteries,  thou  naughty  son  of  a  good  king,  like  Manasses 

—  sprung  from  Ezechiah,  Vortipore,  thou  foolish  tyrant  of  the* 

—  Demetians,*  why  art  thou  so  stiff?  What!  do  not  suchl 
violent  gulfs  of  sin  (which  thou  dost  swallow  up  like' 
pleasant  wine,  nay  rather  which  swallow  thee  up),  as  yet 
satisfy  thee,  especially  since  the  end  of  thy  life  is  daily  now 
approaching?  Why  dost  thou  heavily  clog  thy  miserable 
soul  with  the  sin  of  lust,  which  is  fouler  than  any  other,  by 

—  putting  away  thy  wife,  and  after  her  honourable  death,  by 
-.    the  base  practices  of  thy  shameless  daughter  ?    Waste  not  (I 

beseech  thee)  the  residue  of  thy  life  in  offending  God* 
because  as  yet  an  acceptable  time  and  day  of  salvation 
shines  on  the  faces  of  the  penitent,  wherein  thou  mayest 
take  care  that  thy  flight  may  not  be  in  the  winter,  or  on  the 
sabbath  day.  "  Turn  away  (according  to  the  psalmist)  from 
evil,  and  do  good,  seek  peace  and  ensue  it,"  because  the  eyes 
of  our  Lord  will  be  cast  upon  thee,  when  thou  doest  righte- 
ousness, and  his  ears  will  be  then  open  unto  thy  prayers, 
and  he  will  not  destroy  thy  memory  out  of  the  land  of  the 
living ;  thou  shalt  cry,  and  he  will  hear  thee,  and  out  of  thy 
tribulations  deliver  thee;  for  Christ  doth  never  despise  a 
heart  that  is  contrite  and  humbled  with  fear  of  him. 
Otherwise,  the  worm  of  thy  torture  shall  not  die,  and  the 
fire  of  thy  burning  shall  never  be  extinguished. 
A^-  §  32.  And  thou  too,  Cuneglasse,t  why  art  thou  fallen  into 
the  filth  of  thy  former  naughtiness,  yea,  since  the  very  first 
spring  of  thy  tender  youth,  thou  bear,  thou  rider  and  ruler 
of  many,  and  guider  of  the  chariot  which  is  the  receptacle 
of  the  bear,  thou  contemner  of  God,  and  vilifier  of  his 
"~  order,  thou  tawny  butcher,  as  in  the  Latin  tongue  thy  name 
signifies.  Why  dost  thou  raise  so  great  a  war  as  well 
against  men  as  also  against  God  himself  against  men,  yea, 
thy  own  countrymen,  with  thy  deadly  weapons,  and  against 
God  with  thine  infinite  offences  ?  Why,  besides  thine  other 
innumerable  backslidings,  having  thrown  out  of  doors  thy 
wife,  dost  thou,  in  the  lust,  or  rather  stupidity  of  thy  mind, 
against  the  apostle's  express  prohibition,  denouncing  that  no 

*  Inhabitants  of  the  counties  of  Cardigan,  Pembroke,  and  Carmarthen, 
t  His  dominions  were  north  of  Cambria,  between  the  Severn  and  the 
Western  Sea. 


318  THE  WORKS  OF  GILDAS.  [mc.33. 

adulterers  can  be  partakers  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
esteem  her  detestable  sister,  who  had  vowed  unto  God  the 
everlasting  continency,  as  the  very  flower  (in  the  language 
of  the  poet)  of  the  celestial  nymphs?  Why  dost  thou 
provoke  with  thy  frequent  injuries  the  lamentations  and 
sighs  of  saints,  by  thy  means  corporally  afflicted,  which  will 
in  time  to  come,  like  a  fierce  lioness,  break  thy  bones  in 
pieces  ?  Desist,  I  beseech  thee  (as  the  prophet  saith)  from 
wrath,  and  leave  off  thy  deadly  fury,  which  thou  breathest 
out  against  heaven  and  earth,  against  God  and  his  flock,  and 
which  in  time  will  be  thy  own  torment ;  rather  with  altered 
mind  obtain  the  prayers  of  those  who  possess  a  power  of 
binding  over  this  world,  when  in  this  world  they  bind  the 
guilty,  and  of  loosing  when  they  loose  the  penitent.  Be  not 
(as  the  apostle  saith)  proudly  wise,  nor  hope  thou  in  the 
uncertainty  of  riches,  but  in  God  who  giveth  thee  many 
things  abundantly,  and  by  the  amendment  of  thy  manners 
purchase  unto  thyself  a  good  foundation  for  hereafter,  and 
seek  to  enter  into  that  real  and  true  state  of  existence  which 
will  be  not  transitory  but  everlasting.  Otherwise,  thou 
shalt  know  and  see,  yea,  in  this  very  world,  how  bad  and 
bitter  a  thing  it  is  for  thee  to  leave  the  Lord  thy  God,  and 
not  have  his  fear  before  thine  eyes,  and  in  the  next,  how 
thou  shalt  be  burned  in  the  foul  encompassing  flames  of 
endless  fire,  nor  yet  by  any  manner  of  means  shalt  ever  die. 
For  the  souls  of  the  sinful  are  as  eternal  in  perpetual  fire,  as 
the  souls  of  the  just  in  perpetual  joy  and  gladness. 

§  33.  And  likewise,  O  thou  dragon  of  the  island,  who 
hast  deprived  many  tyrants,  as  well  of  their  kingdoms  as  of 
their  lives,  and  though  the  last-mentioned  in  my  writing, 
the  first  in  mischief,  exceeding  many  in  power,  and  also  in 
malice,  more  liberal  than  others  in  giving,  more  licentious  in 
y_  sinning,  strong  in  arms,  but  stronger  in  working  thine  own 
soul's  destruction,  Maglocune,*  why  art  thou  (as  if  soaked 
in  the  wine  of  the  Sodomitical  grape)  foolishly  rolling  in 
that  black  pool  of  thine  offences  ?  Why  dost  thou  wilfully 
heap  like  a  mountain,  upon  thy  kingly  shoulders,  such  a  load 
of  sins  ?  Why  dost  thou  show  thyself  unto  the  King  of  kings 
(who  hath  made  thee  as  well  in  kingdom  as  in  stature  of  body 
higher  than  almost  all  the  other  chiefs  of  Britain)  not  better 
*  Probably  Maelgwn  Gwynedd,  king  of  North  Wales. 


sbc.  34.]        GILDAS  3E?BQV$S  MAGLQCUNE,         319 

likewise  in  virtues  than  the  rest ;  but  on  the  contrary  for  thy 
sins  much  worse  ?  Listen  then  awhile  and  hear  patiently  the 
following  enumeration  of  thy  deeds,  wherein  I  will  not 
touch  any  domestic  and  light  offences  (if  yet  any  of  them  are 
light)  but  only  those  open  ones  which  are  spread  far  and 
wide  in  the  knowledge  of  all  men.  Didst  not  thou,  in  the 
very  beginning  of  thy  youth,  terribly  oppress  with  sword, 
spear,  and  fire,  the  king  thine  uncle,  together  with  his  coura-  "A* 
geous  bands  of  soldiers,  whose  countenances  in  battle  were 
not  unlike  those  of  young  lions  ?  Not  regarding  the  words 
of  the  prophet,  who  says,  "  The  blood-thirsty  and  deceitful 
men  shall  not  live  out  half  their  days  ;*  and  even  if  the 
sequel  of  thy  sins  were  not  such  as  ensued,  yet  what  retribution 
couldst  thou  expect  for  this  offence  only  at  the  hands  of  the 
just  Judge,  who  hath  said  by  his  prophet :  <*  Woe  be  to  thee 
who  spoilest,  and  shalt  not  thou  thyself  be  spoiled  ?  and  thou 
who  killest,  shalt  not  thyself  be  killed  ?  and  when  thou  shalt 
make  an  end  of  thy  spoiling,  then  shalt  thou  thyself  fall." 

§  34.  But  when  the  imagination  of  thy  violent  rule  had 
succeeded  according  to  thy  wishes,  and  thou  wast  urged  by  a 
desire  to  return  into  the  right  way,  night  and  day  the  con-i 
sciousness  of  thy  crimes  afflicted  thee,  whilst  thou  didst  — 
ruminate  on  the  Lord's  ritual  and  the  ordinances  of  the 
monks,  and  then  publish  to  the  world  and  vow  thyself  before 
God  a  monk  with  no  intention  to  be  unfaithful,  as  thou  didst 
say,  having  burst  through  those  toils  in  which  such  great 
beasts  as  thyself  were  used  to  become  entangled,  whether  it 
were  love  of  rule,  of  gold,  or  silver,  or,  what  is  stronger 
still,  the  fancies  of  thy  own  heart.  And  didst  thou  not,  as  a 
dove  which  cleaves  the  yielding  air  with  its  pinions,  and  by 
its  rapid  turns  escapes  the  furious  hawk,  safely  return  to  the 
cells  where  the  saints  repose,  as  a  most  certain  place  of 
refuge  ?  Oh  how  great  a  joy  should  it  have  been  to  our 
mother  church,  if  the  enemy  of  all  mankind  had  not  lament* 
ably  pulled  thee,  as  it  were,  out  of  her  bosom  !  Oh  what  an 
abundant  flame  of  heavenly  hope  would  have  been  kindled  in 
the  hearts  of  desperate  sinners,  hadst  thou  remained  in  thy 
blessed  estate  !  Oh  what  great  rewards  in  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  would  have  been  laid  up  for  thy  soul  against  the  day 
of  judgment,  if  that  crafty  wolf  had  not  caught  thee,  who  of 
a  wolf  wast  now  become  a  lamb  (not  much  against  thine  own. 


320  THfe  WORKS  OF  GILDAS.  [nc.  35. 

will)  out  of  the  fold  of  our  Lord,  and  made  thee  of  a  lamb,  a 
Wolf  like  unto  himself,  again  ?  Oh  how  great  a  joy  would 
the  preservation  of  thy  salvation  have  been  to  God  the 
Father  of  all  saints,  had  not  the  devil,  the  father  of  all  cast- 
aways, as  an  eagle  of  monstrous  wings  and  claws,  carried 
thee  captive  away  against  all  right  and  reason,  to  the  un- 
happy band  of  his  children  ?  And  to  be  short,  thy  conver- 
sion to  righteousness  gave  as  great  joy  to  heaven  and  earth, 
as  now  thy  detestable  return,  like  a  dog  to  his  vomit, 
breedeth  grief  and  lamentation  :  which  being  done,  "the 
members  which  should  have  been  busily  employed,  as  the 
armour  of  justice  for  the  Lord,  are  now  become  the  armour 
of  iniquity  for  sin  and  the  devil ;"  for  now  thou  dost  not 
listen  to  the  praises  of  God  sweetly  sounded  forth  by  the 
pleasant  voices  of  Christ's  soldiers,  nor  the  instruments  of 
ecclesiastical  melody,  but  thy  own  praises  (which  are  nothing) 
rung  out  after  the  fashion  of  the  giddy  rout  of  Bacchus  by 
the  mouths  of  thy  villainous  followers,  accompanied  with  lies 
and  malice,  to  the  utter  destruction  of  the  neighbours ;  so 
that  the  vessel  prepared  for  the  service  of  God,  is  now 
turned  to  a  vessel  of  dirfy  and  what  was  once  reputed  worthy 
of  heavenly  honour,  is  now  cast  as  it  deserves  into  the 
bottomless  pit  of  hell. 

§  35.  Yet  neither  is  thy  sensual  mind  (which  is  overcome 
by  the  excess  of  thy  follies)  at  all  checked  in  its  course  with 
committing  so  many  sins,  but  hot  and  prone  (like  a  young 
colt  that  coveteth  every  pleasant  pasture)  runneth  headlong 
forward,  with  irrecoverable  fury,  through  the  intended  fields 
of  crime,  continually  increasing  the  number  of  its  trans- 
gressions. For  the  former  marriage  of  thy  first  wife 
(although  after  thy  violated  vow  of  religion  she  was  not 
lawfully  thine,  but  only  by  right  of  the  time  she  was  with 
thee),  was  now  despised  by  thee,  and  another  woman,  the 
wife  of  a  man  then  living,  and  he  no  stranger,  but  thy  own 
brother's  son,  enjoyed  thy  affections.  Upon  which  occasion 
that  stiff  neck  of  thine  (already  laden  with  sins)  is  now 
burdened  with  two  monstrous  murders,  the  one  of  thy  aforesaid 
nephew,  the  other,  of  her  who  once  was  thy  wedded  wife  : 
and  thou  art  now  from  low  to  lower,  and  from  bad  to  worse, 
bowed,  bent,  and  sunk  down  into  the  lowest  depth  of  sacri* 
lege.     Afterwards,  also  didst  thou  publicly  marry  the  widow 


■bc.  35.]  GILDAS  REPROVES  MAGLOCTJKE.  321 

by  whose  deceit  and  suggestion  such  a  heavy  weight  of1 
offences  was  undergone,  and  take  her,  lawfully,  as  the  flatter- 
ing tongues  of  thy  parasites  with  false  words  pronounced  it, 
but  as  we  say,  most  wickedly,  to  be  thine  own  in  wedlock. 
And  therefore  what  holy  man  is  there,  who,  moved  with  the 
narration  of  such  a  history,  would  not  presently  break  out 
into  weeping  and  lamentations  ?  What  priest  (whose  heart 
lieth  open  unto  God)  would  not  instantly,  upon  hearing  this, 
exclaim  with  anguish  in  the  language  of  the  prophet :  "  Who 
shall  give  water  to  my  head,  and  to  my  eyes  a  fountain  of 
tears,  and  I  will  day  and  night  bewail  those  of  my  people, 
who  are  slaughtered."  For -full  little  (alas  !)  hast  thou  with 
thine  ears  listened  to  that  reprehension  of  the  prophet  speak* 
ing  in  this  wise  :  "  Woe  be  unto  you,  O  wicked  men,  who 
have  left  the  law  of  the  most  holy  God,  and  if  ye  shall  be 
born,  your  portion  shall  be  to  malediction,  and  if  ye  die,  to 
malediction  shall  be  your  portion,  all  things  that  are  from 
the  earth,  to  the  earth  shall  be  converted  again,  so  shall  the 
wicked  from  malediction  pass  to  perdition  :  if  they  return 
not  unto  our  Lord,  listening  to  this  admonition  :  "  Son,  thou 
hast  offended  ;  add  no  further  offence  thereunto,  but  rather 
pray  for  the  forgiveness  of  the  former."  And  again,  "  Be 
not  slow  to  be  converted  unto  our  Lord,  neither  put  off  the 
same  from  day  to  day,  for  his  wrath  doth  come  suddenly." 
Because,  as  the  Scripture  saith,  "  When  the  king  heareth  the 
unjust  word,  all  under  his  dominion  become  wicked.''  And, 
the  just  king  (according  to  the  prophet)  raiseth  up  his  region. 
But  warnings  truly  are  not  wanting  to  thee,  since  thou  hast 
had  for  thy  instructor  the  most  eloquent  master  of  almost  all 
Britain.  Take  heed,  thereof,  lest  that  which  Solomon  notetfc, 
befall  thee,  which  is,  "  Even  as  he  who  stirreth  up  a  sleep- 
ing man  out  of  his  heavy  sleep,  so  is  that  person  who  de- 
clareth  wisdom  unto  a  fool,  for  in  the  end  of  his  speech  will 
he  say,  What  hast  thou  first  spoken  ?  Wash  thine  heart  (as 
it  is  written)  from  malice,  O  Jerusalem,  that  thou  mayest 
be  saved."  Despise  not  (I  beseech  thee)  the  unspeakable 
mercy  of  God,  calling  by  his  prophet  the  wicked  in  this  way 
from  their  offences  :  "I  will  on  a  sudden  speak  to  the 
nation,  and  to  the  kingdom,  that  I  may  root  out,  and  dis- 
perse, and  destroy,  and  overthrow."  As  for  the  sinner  he 
doth  in  this  wise  exhort  him  vehemently  to  repent     "  And 

x 


322  THE  WORKS  OF  GILDAS.  [sac.SflL 

if  the  same  people  shall  repent  from  their  offence,  I  will  also 
repent  of  the  evil  which  I  have  said  that  I  would  do  unto 
them."  And  again,  "Who  will  give  them  such  an  heart, 
that  they  may  hear  me,  and  keep  my  commandments,  and 
that  it  may  be  well  with  them  all  the  days  of  their  lives." 
And  also  in  the  Canticle  of  Deuteronomy,  "  A  people  with-: 
out  counsel  and  prudence,  I  wish  they  would  be  wise,  and 
understand,  and  foresee  the  last  of  "all,  how  one  pnrsueth  a 
thousand  and  two  put  to  flight  ten  thousand."  And  again, 
our  Lord  in  the  gospel,  '<  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  who  do  labour 
and  are  burdened,  and  I  will  make  you  rest.  Take  my 
yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of  me,  because  I  am  meek  and 
humble  of  heart,  and  ye  shall  find  repose  for  your  souls.'' 
For  if  thou  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  these  admonitions,  contemn 
the  prophets,  and  despise  Christ,  and  make  no  account  of  us, 
humble  though  we  be,  so  long  as  with  sincere  piety  and 
purity  of  mind  we  bear  in  mind  that  saying  of  the  prophet, 
that  we  may  not  be  found,  "  Dumb  dogs,  not  able  to  bark  ;" 
(however  I  for  my  part  may  not  be  of  that  singular  fortitude, 
in  the  spirit  and  virtue  of  our  Lord,  as  to  declare,  "  To  the 
house  of  Jacob  their  sins,  and  the  house  of  Israel  their 
offences  ;")  and  so  long  as  we  shall  remember  that  of  Solo- 
mon, "  He  who  says  that  the  wicked  are  just,  shall  be  ac- 
cursed among  the  people,  and  odious  to  nations,  for  they  who 
reprove  them  shall  have  better  hopes."  And  again,  "  Respect, 
not  with  reverence  thy  neighbour  in  his  ruin,  nor  forbear  to 
speak  in  time  of  salvation."  And  as  long  also  as  we,  forget 
not  this,  "  Root  out  those  who  are  led  to  death,  and  forbear 
not  to  redeem  them  who  are  murdered ;"  because,  as  the 
same  prophet  says,  "  Riches  shall  not  profit  in  the  day  of 
wrath,  but  justice  delivereth  from  death."  And,  "  If  the  just 
indeed  be  hardly  saved,  where  shall  the  wicked  and  sinner 
appear  ?  If,  as  I  said,  thou  scorn  us,  who  obey  these  texts, 
the  dark  flood  of  hell  shall  without  doubt  eternally  drown 
thee  in  that  deadly  whirlpool,  and  those  terrible  streams  of 
fire  that  shall  ever  torment  and  never  consume  thee,  and 
then  shall  the  confession  of  thy  pains  and  sorrow  for  thy  sins 
be  altogether  too  late  and  unprofitable  to  one,  who  now  in  this 
accepted  time  and  day  of  salvation  deferreth  his  conversion 
to  a  more  righteous  way  of  life.  > 

§  37.  And  here,  indeed,  if  not  before,  was  this  lamentable 


sbc.  38.]  SAMXTBt.  323 

history  of  the  miseries  of  our  time  to  have  heen  brought  to  — 
a  conclusion,  that  I  might  no  further  discourse  of  the  deeds 
of  men ;  but  that  I  may  not  be  thought  timid  or  weary, 
whereby  I  might  the  less  carefully  avoid  that  saying  of 
Isaiah,  "  Woe  be  to  them  who  call  good  evil,  and  evil  good, 
placing  darkness  for  light,  and  light  for  darkness,  bitter  for 
sweet,  and  sweet  for  bitter,  who  seeing  see  not,  and  hearing 
hear  not,  whose  hearts  are  overshadowed  with  a  thick  and 
black  cloud  of  vices ;"  I  will  briefly  set  down  the  threaten- 
ings  which  are  denounced  against  these  five  aforesaid  lasci«l 
vious  horses,  the  frantic  followers  of  Pharaoh,  through  whom) 
his  army  is  wilfully  urged  forward  to  their  utter  destruction  I 
in  the  Red  Sea,  and  also  against  such  others,  by  the  sacred  J  , 
oracles,  with  whose  holy  testimonies  the  frame  of  this  our : 
little  work  is,  as  it  were,  roofed  in,  that  it  may  not  be  sub- 
ject to  the  showers  of  the  envious,  which  otherwise  would  be; 
poured  thereon.  Let,  therefore,  God's  holy  prophets,  who; 
are  to  mortal  men  the  mouth  of  God,  and  the  organ  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  forbidding  evils,  and  favouring  goodness,  an- 
swer for  us  as  well  now  as  formerly,  against  the  stubborn 
and  proud  princes  of  this  our  age,  that  they  may  not  say  we 
menace  them  with  such  threats,  and  such  great  terrors  of  our  J 
own  invention  only,  and  with  rash  and  over-zealous  meddling. 
For  to  no  wise  man  is  it  doubtful  how  far  more  grievous  the 
sins  of  this  our  time  are  than  those  of  the  primitive  age, 
when  the  apostle  said,  "  Any  one  transgressing  the  law,  be- 
ing convicted  by  two  or  three  witnesses,  shall  die,  how  much 
worse  punishment  think  ye  then  that  he  deserveth,  who  shall 
trample  under  his  foot  the  Son  of  God?" 

§  38.  And  first  of  all  appears  before  us,  Samuel,  by 
God's  commandment,  the  establisher  of  a  lawful  kingdom, 
dedicated  to  God  before  his  birth,  undoubtedly  known  by 
marvellous  signs,  to  be  a  true  prophet  unto  all  the  people, 
from  Dan  even  to  Beersheba,  out  of  whose  mouth  the  Holy 
Ghost  thundereth  to  all  the  potentates  of  the  world,  de- 
nouncing Saul  the  first  king  of  the  Hebrews,  only  because 
he  did  not  accomplish  .some  matters  commanded  him  of  our 
Lord,  in  these  words  which  follow:  "Thou  hast  done 
foolishly,  neither  yet  hast  thou  kept  the  commandments  of 
our  Lord  thy  God,  that  he  hath  given  thee  in  charge ;  which 
if  thou  hadst  not  committed,  even  now  had  our  Lord  pre* 

T  2 


&24  THtf  WORKS  OF  GtLDAS.  [ucJl 

pared  thy  reign  over  Israel  for  ever,  but  thy  kingdom  shall 
no  farther  arise."  And  what  did  he  commit,  whether  it 
were  adultery  or  murder,  like  to  the  offences  of  the  present 
time  ?  No,  truly,  but  broke  in  part  one  of  God's  command- 
ments,  for,  as  one  of  our  writers  says,  "  The  question  is  not 
of  the  quality  of  the  sin,  but  of  the  violating  of  the  pre- 
cept. "  Also  when  he  endeavoured  to  answer  (as  he  thought) 
the  objections  of  Samuel,  and  after  the  fashion  of  men  wisely 
to  make  excuses  for  his  offence  in  this  manner :  "  Yea,  I 
have  obeyed  the  voice  of  our  Lord,  and  walked  in  the  way 
through  which  he  hath  sent  me ;"  with  this  rebuke  was  he 
corrected  by  him :  "  What !  will  our  Lord  have  burnt  offer- 
ings or  oblations,  and  not  rather  that  the  voice  of  our  Lord 
should  be  obeyed  ?  Obedience  is  better  than  oblations,  and 
to  hearken  unto  him,  better  than  to  offer  the  fat  of  rams. 
For  as  it  is  the  sin  of  soothsaying  to  resist,  so  is  it  the 
offence  of  idolatry  not  to  obey ;  in  regard,  therefore,  that 
thou  hast  cast  away  the  word  of  our  Lord,  he  hath  also  cast 
thee  away  that  thou  be  not  king."  And  a  little  after,  "  Our 
Lord  hath  this  day  rent  the  kingdom  of  Israel  from  thee, 
and  delivered  it  up  to  thy  neighbour,  a  man  better  than  thy- 
self. The  Triumpher  of  Israel  truly  will  not  spare,  and  will  not 
be  bowed  with  repentance,  neither  yet  is  he  a  man  that  he 
should  repent  ;*  that  is  to  say,  upon  the  stony  hearts  of  the 
wicked  :  wherein  it  is  to  be  noted  how  he  saith,  that  to  be 
disobedient  unto  God  is  the  sin  of  idolatry.  Let  not,  there- 
fore, our  wicked  transgressors  (while  they  do  not  openly 
sacrifice  to  the  gods  of  the  Gentiles)  flatter  themselves  that 
they  are  not  idolaters,  whilst  they  tread  like  swine  the  most 
precious  pearls  of  Christ  under  their  feet. 

§  39.  But  although  this  one  example  as  an  invincible 
affirmation  might  abundantly  suffice  to  correct  the  wicked ; 
yet,  that  by  the  mouths  of  many  witnesses  all  the  offences 
of  Britain  may  be  proved,  let  us  pass  to  the  rest.  What 
happened  to  David  for  numbering  his  people,  when  the  pro- 
phet Gad  spake  unto  him  in  this  sort?  Thus  saith  our 
Lord :  "  The  choice  of  three  things  is  offered  thee,  choose 
which  thou  wilt,  that  I  may  execute  it  upon  thee.  Shall 
there  befall  thee  a  famine  for  seven  years,  or  shalt  thou  flee 
three  months  before  thine  enemies,  and  they  pursue  thee,  or 
shall  there  be  three  days'  pestilence  in  thy  land?"    Far  be* 


«*c.tt.]  OF  JEROBOAM  AMD  BAASHA.  325 

ing  brought  into  great  straits  by  this  condition,  and  willing 
rather  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  God  who  is  merciful,  than 
into  those  of  men,  he  was  humbled  with  the  slaughter  of 
seventy  thousand  of  his  subjects,  and  unless  with  the  affec- 
tion of  an  apostolic  charity,  he  had  desired  to  die  himself 
for  his  countrymen,  that  the  plague  might  not  further  con- 
sume them,  saying,  "I  am  he  that  has  offended,  I  the 
shepherd  have  dealt  unjustly:  but  these  sheep,  what  have 
they  sinned  ?  Let  thy  hand,  I  beseech  thee,  be  turned 
against  me,  and  against  the  house  of  my  father ;"  he  would 
have  atoned  for  the  unadvised  pride  of  his  heart  with  his 
own  death.  For  what  does  the  scripture  afterwards  declare 
of  his  son  ?  "  And  Solomon  wrought  that  which  was  not 
pleasing  before  our  Lord,  and  he  did  not  fill  up  the  measure 
of  his  good  deeds  by  following  the  Lord  like  his  father 
David.  And  our  Lord  said  unto  him,  Because  thou  hast 
thus  behaved  thyself  and  not  observed  my  covenant  and 
precepts,  which  I  have  commanded  thee,  breaking  it  asun- 
der ;  I  will  divide  thy  kingdom,  and  give  the  same  unto  thy 
servant." 

§  40.  Hear  now  likewise  what  fell  upon  the  two  sacrile- 
gious kings  of  Israel  (even  such  as  ours  are),  Jeroboam  and 
Baasha,  unto  whom  the  sentence  and  doom  of  our  Lord  is 
by  the  prophet  in  this  way  directed :  *  For  what  cause  have 
I  exalted  thee  a  prince  over  Israel,  in  regard  that  they  have 
provoked  me  by  their  vanities.  Behold  I  will  stir  up  after 
Baasha  and  after  his  house,  and  I  will  give  over  his  house  as 
the  house  of  Jeroboam  the  son  of  Nebat  Whoso  of  his 
blood  shall  die  in  the  city,  the  dogs  shall  eat  him,  and  the 
dead  carcass  of  him  that  dieth  in  the  field  shall  the  fowls  of 
the  air  eat."  What  doth  he  also  threaten  unto  that  wicked 
king  of  Israel,  a  worthy  companion  of  the  former,  by  whose 
collusion  and  his  wife's  deceit,  innocent  Naboth  was  for  his 
father's  vineyard  put  to  death,  when  the  holy  mouth  of  Elias, 
yea,  the  selfsame  mouth  that  was  instructed  with  the  fiery 
speech  of  our  Lord,  thus  spake  unto  him :  "  Hast  thou  killed 
and  also  taken  possession,  and  after  this  wilt  thou  yet  add 
more  ?  Thus  saith  our  Lord,  in  this  very  place,  wherein 
the  dogs  have  licked  the  blood  of  Naboth,  they  shall  lick  up 
thy  blood  also,"  Which  fell  out  afterwards  in  that  very 
sort,  as  we  have  certain  proof.    But  lest  perchance  (as  befell 


326  THE  WOBKS  OF  GlLbAS.  [ftcc.  4L 

Ahab  also)  the  lying  spirit,  which  pronounceth  vain  things 
in  the  mouths  of  your  prophets  may  seduce  you,  hearken 
to  the  words  of  the  prophet  Micaiah :  "  Behold  God  hath 
suffered  the  spirit  of  lying  to  possess  the  mouths  of  all  thy 
prophets  that  do  here  remain,  and  our  Lord  hath  pronounced 
evil  against  thee."  For  even  now  it  is  certain  that  there  are 
some  teachers  inspired  with  a  contrary  spirit,  preaching  and 
affirming  rather  what  is  pleasing,  however  depraved,  than 
what  is  true :  whose  words  are  softer  than  oil,  and  the  same 
are  darts,  who  say,  peace,  peace,  and  there  shall  be  no  peace 
to  them,  who  persevere  in  their  sins,  as  says  the  prophet  in 
another  place  also,  "  It  is  not  for  the  wicked  to  rejoice,  saith 
our  Lord." 

§  41.  Azarias,  also,  the  son  of  Obed,  spoke  unto  Asa, 
who  returned  from  the  slaughter  of  the  army  of  ten  hun* 
dred  thousand  Ethiopians,  saying,  "  Our  Lord  is  with  ydu 
while  you  remain  with  him,  and  if  you  will  seek  him  out* 
he  will  be  found  by  you,  and  if  you  will  leave  him,  he 
will  leave  you  also."  For  if  Jehosaphat  for  only  assisting  a 
wicked  king,  was  thus  reproved  by  the  prophet  Jehu,  the 
son  of  Ananias,  saying,  "  If  thou  givest  aid  to  a  sinner,  or 
lovest  them  whom  our  Lord  doth  hate,  the  wrath  of  God 
doth  therefore  hang  over  thee,"  what  shall  become  of  them 
who  are  fettered  in  the  snares  of  their  own  offences  ?  whose 
sin  we  must  of  necessity  hate,  if  not  their  souls,  if  we  wish 
to  fight  in  the  army  of  the  Lord,  according  to  the  words  of 
the  Psalmist,  "  Hate  ye  evil,  who  love  our  Lord."  What 
was  said  to  Jehoram,  the  son  of  the  above-named  Jehosa- 
phat, that  most  horrible  murderer  (who  being  himself  A 
bastard,  slew  his  noble  brethren,  that  he  might  possess  the 
throne  in  their  place,  by  the  prophet  Elias,  who  was  the 
chariot  and  charioteer  of  Israel?  "Thus  speaketh  the 
Lord  God  of  thy  father  David.  Because  thou  hast  not 
walked  in  the  way  of  thy  father  Jehosaphat,  and  in  the 
ways  of  Asa  the  king  of  Judah,  but  hast  walked  in  the 
Ways  of  the  kings  of  Israel,  and  in  adultery  according  to  the 
behaviour  of  the  house  of  Ahab,  and  hast  moreover  killed 
thy  brethren,  the  sons  of  Jehosaphat,  men  far  better  than 
thyself,  behold,  our  Lord  shall  strike  thee  and  thy  children 
with  a  mighty  plague."  And  a  little  afterwards,  "  And  thou 
fihalt  be  very  sick  of  a  disease  of  thy  belly,  until  thy  entrails 


bbc.  42. J  ISAIAH'S  PEOPHECIES.  327 

shall,  together  with  the  malady  itself,  from  day  to  day,  come 
forth  out  of  thee."  And  listen  also  what  the  prophet  Zacha-  ^ 
riah,  the  son  of  Jehoiades,  menaced  to  Joash,  the  king  of  / 
Israel,  when  he  abandoned  our  Lord  even  as  ye  now  do,  and 
the  prophet  spoke  in  this  manner  to  the  people :  "  Thus  saith 
our  Lord,  Why  do  ye  transgress  the  commandments  of  our 
Lord  and  do  not  prosper  ?  Because  ye  have  left  our  Lord, 
he  will  also  leave  you." 

§  42.  What  shall  I  mention  of  Isaiah,  the  first  and  chief 
of  the  prophets,  who  beginneth  his  prophecy,  or  rather 
vision,  in  this  way :  "  Hear,  O  ye  heavens,  and  O  thou  earth 
conceive  in  thine  ears,  because  our  Lord  hath  spoken,  I  have 
nourished  children,  and  exalted  them,  but  they  themselves 
have  despised  me*  iThe  ox  hath  known  his  owner,  and  the 
ass  his  master's  crib,  but  Israel  hath  not  known  me,  and  my 
people  hath  not  understood."  And  a  little  further  with, 
threatenings  answerable  to  so  great  a  folly,  he  saith,  "  The 
daughter  of  Sion  shall  be  utterly  left  as  a  tabernacle  in  the 
vineyard,  and  as  a  hovel  in  the  cucumber  garden,  and  a  city 
that  is  sacked."  And  especially,  convening  and  accusing  the 
princes,  he  saith*  "  Hear  the  word  of  our  Lord,  O  ye  princes 
of  Sodom,  perceive  ye  the  law  of  our  Lord,  O  ye  people  of 
Gomorrah."  Wherein  it  is  to  be  noted,  that  unjust  kings 
are  termed  the  princes  of  Sodom,  for  our  Lord,  forbidding 
sacrifices  and  gifts  to  be  offered  to  him  by  such  persons,  and 
seeing  that  we  greedily  receive  those  offerings  which  in  all 
nations  are  displeasing  unto  God,  and  to  our  own  destruction 
suffer  them  not  to  be  bestowed  on  the  poor  and  needy,  speak 
thus  to  them  who,  laden  with  riches,  are  likewise  given  to 
offend  on  this  head :  "  Offer  no  more  your  sacrifice  in  vain, 
your  incense  is  abomination  unto  me*"  And  again  he 
denounceth  them  thus:  "And  when  ye  shall  stretch  out 
your  hands,  I  will  turn  away  mine  eyes  from  you,  and  when 
ye  shall  multiply  your  prayers,  I  will  not  hear."  And  he 
declareth  wherefore  he  does  this,  saying,  "  Tour  hands  are 
full  of  blood."  And  likewise  showing  how  he  may  be 
appeased,  he  says,  "  Be  ye  washed,  be  ye  clean,  take  away 
the  evil  of  your  thoughts  from  mine  eyes :  cease  to  do  evil, 
learn  to  do  well :  seek  for  judgment,  succour  the  oppressed, 
do  justice  to  the  pupil  or  orphan."  And  then  assuming  as  it 
were  the  part  of  a  reconciling  mediator,  he  adds,  "  Though 


328  THE  WORKS  OF   GILDAS.  [uc.  43. 

your  sins  shall  be  as  scarlet,  they  shall  be  made  white  as 
show :  though  they  shall  be  as  red  as  the  little  worm,*  they 
shall  be  as  white  as  wool.  If  ye  shall  be  willing  to  hear  me, 
ye  shall  feed  on  the  good  things  of  the  land ;  but  if  ye  will 
not,  but  provoke  me  unto  wrath,  the  sword  shall  devour  you." 
§  43.  Receive  ye  the  true  and  public  avoucher,  witnessing, 
without  any  falsehood  or  flattery,  the  reward  of  your  good 
and  evil,  not  like  the  soothing  humble  lips  of  your  parasites, 
which  whisper  poisons  into  your  ears.  And  also  directing 
his  sentence  against  ravenous  judges,  he  saith  thus:  "Thy 
princes  are  unfaithful,  companions  of  thieves,  all  love  gifts, 
hunt  after  rewards:  they  do  no  justice  to  the  orphan,  the 
widow's  cause  entereth  not  unto  them.  For  thus  saith  our 
Lord  God  of  hosts,  the  strong  one  of  Israel,  Alas,  I  will 
take  consolation  upon  my  foes,  and  be  revenged  upon  mine 
enemies ;  and  the  heinous  sinners  stall  be  broken  to  powder, 
and  offenders  together  with  them,  and  all  who  have  left  our 
Lord,  shall  be  consumed."  And  afterwards,  "  The  eyes  of 
the  lofty  man  shall  be  brought  low,  and  the  height  of  men 
hath  bowed  down."  And  again,  "  Woe  be  to  the  wicked, 
evil  befall  him,  for  he  shall  be  rewarded  according  to  his 
handy-work."  And  a  little  after,  "  Woe  be  unto  you  who 
arise  early  to  follow  drunkenness,  and  to  drink  even  to  the 
very  evening,  that  ye  may  fume  with  wine.  The  harp,  and 
the  lyre,  and  the  tabor,  and  the  pipe,  and  wine  are  in  your 
banquets,  and  the  work  of  our  Lord  ye  respect  not,  neither 
yet  consider  ye  the  works  of  his  hands.  Therefore  is  my 
people  led  captive  away,  because  they  have  not  had  know- 
ledge, and  their  nobles  have  perished  with  famine,  and  their 
multitude  hath  withered  away  with  thirst.  Therefore  hath 
hell  enlarged  and  dilated  his  spirit,  and  without  measure 
opened  his  mouth,  and  his  strong  ones,  and  his  people,  and 
his  lofty  and  glorious  ones,  shall  descend  down  unto  him." 
And  afterwards,  "  Woe  be  unto  you  who  are  mighty  for  the 
drinking  of  wine,  and  strong  men  for  the  procuring  of 
drunkenness,  who  justify  the  wicked  for  rewards,  and 
deprive  the  just  man  of  his  justice.  For  this  cause  even  as 
the  tongue  of  the  fire  devoureth  the  stubble,  and  as  the  heat 
of  the  flame  burnetii  up,  so  shall  their  root  be  as  the  ashes, 
and  their  branch  shall  rise  up  as  the  dust.  For  they  have 
*  Vermilion,  the  English  version,  seems  derived  from  vermes,  a  i 


sbc.  44, «.]  Isaiah's  prophecies,  829 

cast  away  the  law  of  our  Lord  of  hosts,  and  despised  the 
speech  of  the  holy  one  of  Israel.  In  all  these  the  fury  of 
our  Lord  is  not  turned  away,  but  as  yet  his  hand  is  stretched 
out." 

§  44.  And  further  on,  speaking  of  the  day  of  judgment 
and  the  unspeakable  fears  of  sinners,  he  says,  "Howl  ye, 
because  the  day  of  our  Lord  is  near  at  hand  (if  so  near  at 
that  time,  what  shall  it  now  be  thought  to  be  ?)  for  destruction 
shall  proceed  from  God.  For  this  shall  all  hands  be 
dissolved,  and  every  man's  heart  shall  wither  away,  and  be 
bruised ;  tortures  and  dolours  shall  hold  them,  as  a  woman  in 
labour  so  shall  they  be  grieved,  every  man  shall  at  his 
neighbour  stand  astonished,  burned  faces  shall  be  their 
countenances.  Behold,  the  day  of  our  Lord  shall  come, 
fierce  and  full  of  indignation,  and  of  wrath,  and  fury,  to 
turn  the  earth  into  a  desert,  and  break  her  sinners  in  small 
pieces  from  off  her;  because  the  stars  of  heaven  and  the 
brightness  of  them,  shall  not  unfold  their  light,  the  sun  in 
his  rising  shall  be  covered  over  with  darkness,  and  the  moon 
shall  not  shine  in  her  season ;  and;  X  will  visit  upon  the  evils 
of  the  world,  and  against  the  wicked;  their  own  iniquity,  and 
I  will  make  the  pride  of  the  unfaithful  to  cease,  and  the 
arrogancy  of  the  strong,  I  will  bring  low."  And  again, 
"  Behold  our  Lord  will  disperse  the  earth,  and  he  will  strip 
her  naked,  and  afflict  her  face,  and  scatter  her  inhabitants ; 
and  as  the  people,  so  shall  be  the  priest ;  and  as  the  slave,  so 
shall  be  his  lord ;  as  the  handmaid,  so  shall  be  her  lady;  as 
the  purchaser,  so  shall  be  the  seller ;  as  the  usurer,  so  shall 
be  he  that  borroweth ;  as  he  who  demandeth,  so  shall  he  be 
that  oweth.  With  dispersing  shall  the  earth  be  scattered, 
and  with  sacking  shall  she  be  spoiled.  For  our  Lord  hath 
spoken  this  word.  The  earth  hath  bewailed,  and  hath  flitted 
away ;  the  world  hath  run  to  nothing,  she  is  weakened  by 
her  inhabitants,  because  they  have  transgressed  laws, 
changed  right,  brought  to  ruin  the  eternal  truce.  JY>r  this 
shall  malediction  devour  the  earth." 

§  45.  And  afterwards,  "  They  shall  lament  all  of  them 
who  now  in  heart  rejoice,  the  delight  of  the  timbrels  hath 
ceased,  the  sound  of  the  gladsome  shall  be  silent,  the 
sweetness  of  the  harp  shall  be  hushed,  they  shall  not  with 
singing  drink  their  wine,  bitter  shall  be  the  potion  to  the 


330  THE  WORKS  OF   GILDAS.  [sw.4*. 

drinkers  thereof.  The  city  of  vanity  is  wasted,  every  house 
is  shut  up,  no  man  entering  in ;  an  outcry  shall  be  in  the 
streets  over  the  wine,  all  gladness  is  forsaken,  the  joy  of  the 
land  is  transferred,  solitariness  is  left  in  the  town,  and 
calamity  shall  oppress  the  gates,  because  these  things  shall 
be  in  the  midst  of  the  land,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  people." 
And  a  little  further,  "  Swerving  from  the  truth,  they  have 
wandered  out  of  the  right  way,  with  the  straggling  of 
transgressors  have  they  gone  astray*  Fear  and  intrapping 
falls,  and  a  snare  upon  thee  who  art  the  inhabitant  of  the 
earth.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass :  whoso  shall  flee  from  the 
voice  of  the  fear>  shall  tumble  down  into  the  intrapping  pit ; 
and  whoso  shall  deliver  himself  out  of  the  downfall,  shall  be 
caught  in  the  entangling  snare :  because  the  flood-gates  from 
aloft  shall  be  opened,  and  the  foundations  of  the  earth  shall 
De  shaken.  With  bruising  shall  the  earth  be  broken,  with 
commotion  shall  she  be  moved,  with  tossing  shall  she  be 
shaken  like  a  drunken  man,  and  she  shall  be  taken  away  as 
if  she  were  a  pavilion  of  one  night's  pitching,  and  her 
iniquities  shall  hang  heavy  upon  her,  and  she  shall  fall 
down,  and  shall  not  attempt  to  rise  again.  And  it  shall  be, 
that  our  Lord  in  the  same  day  shall  look  on  the  warfare  of 
heaven  on  high*  and  on  the  kings  of  the  earth,  who  are 
upon  the  earth,  and  they  shall  be  gathered  together  in  the 
bundle  of  one  burden  into  the  lake,  and  shall  there  be  shut 
up  in  prison,  and  after  many  days  shall  they  be  visited. 
And  the  moon  shall  blush,  and  the  sun  be  confounded, 
when  our  Lord  of  hosts  shall  reign  in  Mount  Sion  and  in 
Jerusalem,  and  be  glorified  in  the  sight  of  his  seniors." 

§  46.  And  after  a  while,  giving  a  reason  why  he  threat- 
ened in  that  sort,  he  says  thus  <  "  Behold  the  hand  of  our 
Lord  is  not  shortened  that  he  cannot  save,  neither  is  his  ear 
made  heavy  that  he  may  not  hear.  But  your  iniquities  have 
divided  between  you  and  your  God,  and  your  offences  have 
hid  his  face  from  you,  that  he  might  not  hear.  For  your 
hands  are  defiled  with  blood,  and  your  fingers  with  iniquity: 
your  lips  have  spoken  lying,  and  your  tongue  uttereth 
iniquity.  There  is  none  who  calleth  on  justice,  neither  is 
there  he  who  judgeth  truly,  but  they  trust  in  nothing,  and 
speak  vanities,  and  have  conceived  grief,  and  brought  forth 
iniquity."    And  a  little  after,  "  Their  works  are  unprofitable, 


sea  47.]  jeremiah's  prophecies.  331 

and  the  work  of  iniquity  is  in  their  hands ;  their  feet  run 
into  evil,  and  make  haste  that  they  may  shed  the  innocent 
blood ;  their  thoughts  are  unprofitable  thoughts,  spoil  and 
confusion  are  in  their  ways,  and  the  way  of  peace  they  have 
not  known,  and  in  their  steps  there  is  no  judgment,  their 
paths  are  made  crooked  unto  them,  every  one  who  treadeth 
in  them  is  ignorant  of  peace;  in  this  respect  is  judgment 
removed  far  off  from  you,  and  justice  taketh  no  hold  on  you." 
And  after  a  few  words,  "  And  judgment  hath  been  turned 
back,  and  justice  hath  stood  afar  off,  because  truth  hath 
fallen  down  in  the  streets,  and  equity  could  not  enter  in ;  and 
truth  is  turned  into  oblivion,  and  whoso  hath  departed  from 
evil,  hath  lain  open  to  spoil.  And  our  Lord  hath  seen, 
and  it  was  not  pleasing  in  his  eyes,  because  there  is  not 
judgment." 

§  47.  And  thus  far  may  it  suffice  among  many*  to  hav